
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Cliai),..rr:.. Copyrigln No 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




Dr. Warren Asa Belding. 



BIOGRAP 




.OF. 



Dr. 



WJ Ay B ELDING, 



^^ I 



Including Sixty Years of Ministerial 
Pioneer Work. 



•$*«s*«s*«^ 



WRITTEN BY y 



HIS GRANDSON, wf^'S. BELDING 



♦$•♦$• •S**^ 



CINCINNATI, O.: 4^V! ^ ^ ^ 

JOHN F. ROWE, Publisher. 
1897. 




^^n^^^ 
34.S4- 



Copyright, 1897, 
BY W. A. BELDING. 



/ 3j^ 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. WARREN ASA 
BELDING. 

Written by His Grandson and Namesake ^ War- 
ren S. Belding^ October^ i8g6. 

This little work is written in response to the 
request of numerous friends of my grandfather's. 
Thev have said that there are many persons who, 
charmed with what they have seen of the simple 
purity and unselfishness of his life, would fain 
know more of its details and incidents. No 
startling or thrilling adventures have occurred 
therein, but the story is of a man of remarkable 
abilities in financiering for philanthropic and 
Christian work — remarkable also for his success 
in evangelizing. 

During the sixty-odd years devoted to minis- 
terial work, he has immersed, with his own hands, 
between eleven and twelve thousand persons. 
Besides this, the raising of funds for colleges and 
schools, and the erection of and paying for numer- 
ous churches scattered all over this land, has 
engaged his time. From Maine to California, 
and southward to Florida and Mississippi, there 
is hardly a State that has not been the scene of 
his labors at some time during his busy life. It 
is asserted that no man among the Disciples of 
Christ is personally known to as many brethren 
as the subject of this sketch. 

The record of one year, as shown by its diary, 
(HI) 



IV PREFACE. 

is remarkable for its results. He was then corre- 
sponding secretary of the General Christian Mis- 
sionary Society, and also its financial agent. That 
year he raised twenty thousand dollars in money 
and pledges, wrote two thousand letters, received 
and read four thousand letters, and traveled about 
twenty thousand miles. This is undoubtedly his 
greatest year measured by visible results, but 
there are several years in w^hich he traveled fully 
as much. 

If I succeed in presenting to the reader a true 
picture of the character and work of my grand- 
father, I am satisfied that it will be interesting 
reading, especially to those who, by association 
with him, have caught a glimpse of the purity, 
simplicity and loving kindness w^hich have been 
the natural characteristics governing his life. 

The writer has had the advantage of access to 
his grandfather's diaries, some forty-six in num- 
ber, covering the entire period from 1850 to the 
present year 1896. An idea of the methodical 
habits of the doctor may be had when I state that 
not a volume is missing. When asked if he could 
find his diaries for my use, the response was, 
" Yes, sir," and they were immediately produced 
in good condition and in consecutive order. 

I have also had the good fortune to acquire 
some manuscript written by my father, most of 
which is from recollections dictated or told by 
grandfather in the hours when his mind went 
back to his earlier days. Some manuscript from 
Bro. Walter S. Hayden is also acknowledged. 



PREFACE. V 

He once undertook this work, but gave it up for 
lack of time. 

But last and most helpful of all has been the 
loving assistance of grandfather himself, without 
which I doubt not that many mistakes would have 
been made, as the diaries before spoken of were 
not designed by their writer to form the basis of 
a work of this kind ; hence many things were 
omitted which were essential to a full understand- 
ing of their contents. 

The preparing of this work for publication has 
been a " labor of love " on my part, and, though 
hampered by the lack of a literary education, and 
obliged to write in time taken from my business, 
still I hope that all may feel repaid for the time 
spent in its perusal. 

WARREN S. BELDING. 



INTRODUCTION. 

It is well that this book has been written. The 
life of its central figure spans the entire history 
of "the current reformation." His ministerial 
experience dates from an early period in the his- 
tory of the Disciples of Christ. He was a com- 
panion of many of the mighty men who, under 
God, were agents in the inauguration of a move- 
ment for the union of Christians in order to the 
evangelization of the world by a return, in faith 
and life, to the religion described on the pages of 
the New Testament. The incidents in this long 
and unusually busy life, recorded in this volume, 
throw not a little light on the early history of the 
Disciples. To read them will enable one, in im- 
agination, to live in the midst of the stirring 
scenes of those early years. This will be of prac- 
tical value. Inspiration to more intelligent and 
heroic endeavor in behalf of the Christianity of 
Christ will follow. The time, in our growth, 
has come for the publication of such records. Too 
many of our aged men, pioneers in this good 
work, have passed from earth without telling the 
story of their trials and triumphs. Our poverty 
is greater on account of this failure. Such simple 
narratives will possess, in years to come, great 
value to the writers of history. Those who are 
now coming into the work of the ministry, and 
into the fellowship of the churches of Christ, 
have, as a rule, an exceedingly imperfect under- 

(VI) 



INTRODUCTION. VII 

Standing of the condition of the body of Christ 
in the United States from thirty to sixty or 
seventy-five years ago. They are ignorant of 
the conditions out of which came the religious 
communion known as the Christian Church or 
Disciples of Christ. There is therefore a failure 
to discern the good hand of our God, and to real- 
ize that this movement is a child of Providence. 
The pioneers were mighty men, some of them 
mental giants, all of them moral heroes, to whom 
was committed, by the Head of the body, Jesus 
Christ our Lord, a special message and mission. 
No man can fully understand what we call ' ' the 
current reformation ' ' who is not acquainted with 
the facts connected with its origin. These ex- 
plain its spirit, purpose, method. The most in- 
teresting and effective manner in which these 
facts can be exhibited is in the simply written 
narratives of personal adventure and experience 
by the men who are yet with us, and who were 
actors in those *' times that tried men's souls." 
It is this feature of the following pages that gives 
to them their value. It is probable that no man 
living among us has delivered so great a number 
of sermons, attended a larger number of religious 
conventions and conferences, been instrumental 
in erecting a larger number of houses of worship, 
has a personal acquaintance in more churches, 
has solicited money for religious and educational 
enterprises to a greater extent, or ha§ baptized 
more men and women into Christ, than has the 
central figure in this book. His narrative is sim- 



VIII INTRODUCTION. 

pie, clear, veracious. He speaks of matters of 
which he was personally cognizant. This volume 
ought to be widely circulated and read, especially 
by the middle-aged and the young. The elderly 
folks will find pleasure in these pages,' because 
their contents will remind them of a glorious 
past — a period of time in the remembrance of 
which they find a peculiar joy. 

B. B. TYLER. 



INTRODUCTORY. 

The honest record of the experiences of many 
years of those who have served God w^ell in any 
noble ministries in his work among men, espe- 
cially if these ministries have been full of unbroken 
active service, is of inestimable value to the 
Church. There is offered to us in such a record 
the full harvest of a life of true faith, of exalted 
motives, of a sincere devotion to the cause of our 
Master, of unwavering fidelity to the holiest con- 
victions that can inspire human souls. The story 
of such a life, even if passed in the least am- 
bitious paths, is a picture that can be studied with 
pleasure and profit Such unostentatious "an- 
nals " of a long service in the Church of God 
are unfolded to us in the pages of this book. 
Personally familiarly acquainted, I may say, with 
Dr. Belding's history for about fifty-seven years, 
I can speak with confidence of what it reports 
to us. I desire to point out some particular feat- 
ures of this history. 

Dr. Belding throughout all his life has been 
unfalteringly true to his profession as a Christian. 
The ardent faith of his early years has sustained 
him, a faith unchanged, unabated to the present 
hour. There have been no periods of weakening 
or defection in his life. His clear conceptions of 
New Testament Christianity also, which he learned 
directly from the fathers of our reformatory move- 

(IX) 



INTRODUCTORY. 



ment, have never, even for a moment, given way 
before the influence of any of the adverse changes 
which time inevitably brings with it. Our brother 
holds fast to-day, close on the borders of four- 
score years, as he did in his youth, to the faith, 
the doctrine and the practice of New Testament 
Christianity. This the pages of this book reveal. 

The author of these personal memoirs has al- 
ways been ardent and zealous in whatever service 
he undertook. To be constantly in action has 
been an enduring passion with him. This is high 
praise, that is not due to all in the ministr}^, but 
it is a most noble instinct of the soul. 

As this biography relates, Dr. Belding has 
been in many forms of the Master's service. He 
has been very active in our national and State 
missionary and benevolent enterprises, and has 
always courageously urged upon churches and 
individuals their full duty to support the cause 
of Christ, and in a manner that gave him much 
success, and never caused him to lose the good 
will of the people. His experience lias been large 
in "setting in order the things that were want- 
ing" in churches, and in quieting disturbances 
and restoring peace among brethren. To him is 
due this great praise : he never made tf'onbic any- 
where. The reason of this is, that he has been a 
man of kindly disposition and of wisdom. Dr. 
Belding has not been a blunderer. 

But I have said enough. My object in these 
introductory words is to tell the reader what kind 



INTRODUCTORY. XI 

•of a man he is who here tells the story of his 
life, and consequently what is the value of the 
book he has written. 

CHARLES LOUIS LOOS. 
Lexington, Ky. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Page 
Preface by the Author m 

Introduction by B. B. Tyler, of New York vi 

Introductory by Charles Louis Loos, President of 

Kentucky University ix 

Chapter I. — Genealogy of the Belding Family. 
Dr. Eufus Belding. Death of W. A. Belding's 
Mother 1 

Chapter II. — W. A. Bedding's Early Life. A 
Mixed Family. Five Sets of Children, and all 
Happy 4 

Chapter III.— Death of Alvin Belding. Exchange 

of Names. A Huge Joke 7 

Chapter IV. — Early Education. Mischievous. A 
Man with Hindsight. A Goose Quill Causes 
Trouble. Church Officers as Distillers. Ex- 
perience WITH Intoxicants. First Essay 10 

Chapter V. — Campbellism. Deerfield Church. 
All Preachers. Stephen K. Hubbard's Lost 
Opportunity. Failures. Conversion of War- 
ren 14 

Chapter VI. — Severe Illness. On the Border 
Land. Called Back. Resolution. A. S, Hay- 
den. The First and Only Campbellite Church. 
Ebenezer and Frederick Williams Lose Their 
Universalism. W^arren Studies Medicine. 
Tries to Preach Also. Mingles Preaching 
WITH Practice. Asks Some Troublesome Ques- 
tions 18 

(XIII) 



XIV TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

Page 
Chapter YII. — Meeting at Indian Rl^n. Israel Bel- 
ton AND Dr. Belding Unite Two Churches. Mar- 
riage TO Myra E. Ward. Live at Hanover, O.- 
"That Ugly Man." J. H. Lamphear and War- 
ren Debate with A. C. Hanger and Dr. Hayes. 
Warren's First Baptism. "Bury that Man." 
A Man Buried for Thirty Seconds. Compensa- 
tion 24 

Chapter VIII. — Moves to Minerva. Partnership 
WITH Geo. W. Lucy. J. H. Jones. A Chastise- 
ment. A Pertinent Text. An Irresponsible 
Hearer. Two Troublesome Girls. Smart Young 
Men. Insincerity 29 

Chapter IX. — Meeting at Steubenville. Preacher 
IN Gloves. Drowning of Two Boys. Charles 
Louis Loos. A. Wilford Hall. No Bread. 
Fish... 35 

Chapter X. — Preached in a Ballroom. A Forty- 
pounder Loaded to Shoot a Chipmunk. One 
Text Spoiled a Debate. Sermon on Justifica- 
tion 89 

Chapter XI. — A Lutheran Exposes Campbellism. 
Street Preaching. Discussion. A Good Meet- 
ing. Father Stanmetts. The Devil and the 
Campbellite Preacher 44 

Chapter XII. — Division of the Scriptures. Great 
Enlightenment. Dr. Tuttle. Pre.judice. The 
Doctor Moves to Doylestown. Partnership 
with Dr. a. L. Simmons. Makes Slankertown 
His Home, Jacob Huffman 49 

Chapter XIII. — Starts a Temperance Hotel. Dis- 
couragements. A Helpless Wife. Resolves 
to Devote Himself to Preaching. Moves to 
Shalersville 52 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. XV 

Page 
Chapter XIV. — Thomas Munn^ell. Threat to Shoot. 
A Flat Contradiction. Good Meeting at Sha- 
lersville. john kudolph, preaching to three. 
Baptizing the Only Sinner. Mad. Repentant. 
Conversion of an Angry Choirmaster. Sing- 
ing A Falsehood 56 

Chapter XV.— Belligerent Backsliders. They Be- 
come Peaceful. Groundless Fears 63 

Chapter XVI. — Trip to Chicago. Visit to Pumpkin- 
town, Pa. a Small Legacy Starts Three 
Churches. Meetings Held in South Butler, IS". 
Y. , Xew York City and Danbury, Conn. Touch- 
ing Incident. Moves to Mentor. Rufus, His 
Son, Baptized 65 

Chapter XVII. — Bedford Meeting. Methodist De- 
sires Baptism. Forsaking Home to Become a 
Christian 68 

Chapter XVIII. — Origin of Hiram College. The 
Doctor as a Beggar. The Man who was Al- 
ways IN Debt 72 

Chapter XIX. — Legacy for Poor Students and for 
Preaching. Beginning of the Church in Well- 
ington, O. Preaches in Madison to Presbyte- 
rians 75 

Chapter XX. — At Auburn and South Butler, X. Y. 
A Severe Reprimand. Fighting Christians. A 
Good Result. ."A Little Child Shall Lead 
Them. ' ' Preaching for Congregationalists 77 

Chapter XXI. ^ — Mrs. Belding. Her Last Illness. 
Visit of A. S. Hayden and Wife. Death of 
Mrs, Belding. Obituary 82 



XVI TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

Page 
Chapter XXII. — Visit to Auburn, X. Y. Conver- 
sion OF Wealthy Ann Ellen. Her Gift Begins 
A Church at Syracuse. Sectarian Opposition. 
A Worldling Comes to the Rescue. Too Good a 
Counterfeit. Daily Papers Receive a Lesson. 
Church at Syracuse Organized. Dedication by 
D. S. Burnet. Testimonials 86 

Chapter XXIII. — Work at Troy, N. Y. Marriage 
to Emily Sherman. Marriage of Rufus E. 
Belding. The Sherman Family. Meeting at 
Chicago. Building the First Christian Church 
AT Chicago. A Good Day's Work. Building a 
Church at Troy, X. Y. Wm. B. Mooklar. J. 
Z. Taylor. D. R. Van Buskirk. A Religious 
Girl 94 

Chapter XXI Y. — Newspaper Hostility 100 

Chapter XXV. — Work at Brooklyn, \. Y. J. Brad- 
ford Cleaver A Gospel Church Reorganized 
INTO A Church of Christ. A House Purchased. 
C. B. Edgar. Dr. Belding Retires from Reg- 
ular Pastoral Work. Greenpoint Mission. A 
House of Their Own 103 

Chapter XXVI. — Southern Christian Institute — Its 
Origin. Ovid Butler. O. A. Burgess. R. Fau- 
ROT. Buying a Plantation. T. I. Martin. The 
Doctor Very III in Mississippi. Jephtiiah 
HOBBS 107 

Chapter XXVII. — A Call to San Francisco. Buying 
A Lot. Caned. F. W. Pattee. Englewood, 
III. Another Church House Built and Paid 
For. Chicago City Board of Missions Formed. 
At Worcester, Mass. W. S. Rogers' Report. 
Extensive Acquaintance. Son (Sherman) and 
Grandsons. Preaching at Pittstown, N. Y 111 

Appendix. — Family Tree. A Chaplain's Prayer. 
Pioneer Preachers. Testimonials. Mount Beu- 
LAH. Sermon on Salvation. Sermon on Church 
Union 115 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 



CHAPTER I. 



Henry Ward Beecher, being once asked 
what things were necessary to a noble and suc- 
cessful life, replied: *' First let a man choose a 
good father and mother." The influence of ances- 
tral habits and training can be traced in the life of 
every man, and it is certainly a point in a man^s 
favor that we can trace his ancestry back to the 
old States of Massachusetts and Connecticut. If 
it was ^'the land of witches," it was also **the 
land of steady habits." If the unbending rigor 
of conscience led the Puritan Fathers to a too- 
literal interpretation of the command, "Suffer 
not a witch to live," they were certainly no more 
given to superstition than the rest of the world at 
that time ; while for unyielding loyalty to con- 
viction and devotion to truth, as they understood 
it, they have probably never been surpassed. 

The genealogy of the Belding family has been 
traced by the writer back eight generations, to a 
Richard Bayldon, of Wethersfield, Conn., living 
in 1640. Further back than this it is difficult ta 
go, but the name is undoubtedly English. Some 
branches of the family have changed the spelling 
to Beldin^ Belden, or Beldon; but it is certain 
that the original spelling was Bayldon^ and the 
first change, to Belding, 

Dr. Rufus Belding, the father of W. A Beld- 
(I) 



2 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

ing, was born in Northampton, Mass., in 1777. 
The year 1800 found him and his wife — Charlotte 
Sabin, daughter of Jeremiah Sabin, of North- 
ampton — in company with a large number of 
others, who emigrated about that time from Mas- 
sachusetts and Connecticut to various portions of 
what was then called the Connecticut Western 
Reserve, but w^hich soon after became a portion 
of the State of Ohio. 

The party with which the family traveled went 
first to Cleveland, O. , then but a village of seven 
log cabins. It is difficult for us to realize how 
new and undeveloped that region then was. Only 
four years previous (July 4, 1796), the first sur- 
veying party of the Western Reserve had landed 
at the mouth of Conneaut Creek, and on July 
22, of the same year, the city of Cleveland was 
founded. Every part of the ground upon which 
that city is now built could have been purchased 
for one dollar and a quarter per acre at the time 
the doctor and his family arrived. 

The subject of this sketch says his father had 
some intention of settling there and beginning 
the practice of medicine, foi^ which he had pre- 
pared ; but, after looking the ground over, he 
decided that it was too unhealthy even for a phy- 
sician. Accordingly he wended his way to what 
is now Randolph, Portage Co., O. Accompany- 
ing him were, two other families, named Baker 
and Blackman ; the Bakers settled in Shalersville 
and the Blackmans in Aurora. It was difficult to 
travel through the almost unbroken wilderness, as 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 3 

for miles it was necessary to cut their way through 
the dense forests. 

Upon his arrival, he set about making a home. 
Here he afterwards lived fifty- seven years, in that 
time witnessing the vast changes produced in the 
wilderness around him by the settling of thou- 
sands of immigrants from the Eastern States. 

He continued the practice of medicine until ill 
health compelled him to abandon it, leaving a 
record of which few physicians can boast — that 
he never was accused of being exorbitant in his 
charges. When asked why he did so much work 
for so little pay, he often replied: "It is hard 
enough to be sick without having to pay out all 
one has for the privilege." Devoting himself to 
others, with little thought of compensation, it fol- 
lows naturally that he left only a small property 
to his numerous family at his death, which oc 
curred in 1854. 

The wife, who bravely shared with him the 
dangers and privations of this pioneer life, was 
born in Herkimer County, N. Y. Her maiden 
name was Charlotte Sabin. She died before 
Warren was two years old, leaving eight children 
— six older and one younger than he. The boys 
were Justin, Sabin, Anson and Alvin ; the sisters, 
Louisa, Ruth and Charlotte. 



CHAPTER II. 

Warren Asa Belding was born at Randolph, 
September 5, 18 16, about sixteen years after his 
parents settled in that place. There must have 
been much of the pioneer vigor in the constitution 
of the lad, for that life in a new country was try- 
ing enough at best ; but, for one deprived of a 
mother's love and care before his second birthday 
anniversary, it must have been doubly hard. 

One little occurrence of this early time in his 
life's history remains engraven on his memory 
and suggests the difficulties under which the 
father labored in endeavoring to care for the 
motherless children. This incident is rather 
amusing in the light of his religious experiences 
of after years. 

Shortly after his mother's death, his father took 
him on horseback to the house of a good old 
Presbyterian deacon, who had kindly offered to 
take care of the lad for a time. As they drew up 
at the door of the good man's cabin, he made his 
appearance, wearing a countenance which the 
doctor declares was as '*[long as the moral law," 
and which made such an impression on his mind 
that for years he associated solemn countenances 
with Presbyterianism. 

In the family of this man Warren remained for 
some time, and, as he grew up, he visited them 
often. The deacon had a very kind heart, but 
was of a strong-willed, unbending nature, and 
was a firm Calvinist of the old school. It was 

(4) 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 5 

from this family that Warren first learned of the 
conflict between Calvinism and Arminianism. 
Indeed, it furnished in itself a living example of 
that conflict ! 

For many years Presbyterianism had held un- 
disputed sway in that section, but, not long before 
the events just spoken of, the Methodists (who 
were at that time looked upon much as the Salva- 
tion Army is to-day) had established a class in 
the northern part of the town. On a " Sabbath " 
morning the devoted deacon would saddle his best 
horse and start for the south, where stood his 
church ; while his equally devoted and conscien- 
tious wife would mount the horse saddled for her 
use, and, giving it free rein and choice, would 
find the "Spirit" guiding her toward the north, 
to the Methodist meeting at the schoolhouse. 
So matters continued for thirty years, both going 
their separate ways on Sunday, and living the 
balance of the week in perfect harmony. 

"What," says Warren, "I could not under- 
stand at the time, and have never been quite able 
to figure out, was why the self-same Spirit who 
foreordained that the deacon should go south to 
worship with the Calvinists, should have unerr- 
ingly led his wife to the north, to worship among 
the Methodists. I am unable to reconcile it with 
Christ's prayer, ' That they all may be one ; as 
thou. Father, art in me, and I in thee ; that they 
also may be one in us : that the world may know 
that thou hast sent me.' " 

It had been necessary to find homes for War- 



6 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. \V . A. BELDING. 

ren's brothers and sisters in different families, and, 
in consequence, they became almost strangers to 
one another for a time. But the family was par- 
tially reunited by the second marriage of the 
father, who found a helpmeet in the person of 
Mrs. Hannah Spellman. By this marriage a 
daughter, Martha, was born. The second wife 
lived but a few years, and, after a suitable period 
of mourning, the father again married. This 
bride was also a widow, Mrs. Sarah Humphrey. 
From this marriage but one child was born, Edwin 
Clinton. 

Warren has often declared that it was given to 
this family to disprove two adages : First, that 
"there is no such person as ?i good stepmother^'' ; 
second, that "no house is large enough for two 
families." 

The Widow Spellman had seven children, and 
the Widow Humphrey two, by their former hus- 
bands. There were in this family, as it was 
finally constituted, five sets of children — nineteen 
in all — and it is the assertion of the subject of this 
sketch that few families, if any, ever lived more 
happily together. 

The last wife survived her husband many years, 
dying at last at the age of eighty-four, at the 
home of her son, Edwin C. Belding, of Ra- 
venna, O. 



CHAPTER III. 

Of Warren's own brothers and sisters, all but 
one (Sabin) attained to maturity. Justin, the old- 
est, was for nearly forty years engaged in a mer- 
cantile business in Randolph, where his life was 
ended. Anson studied medicine and had just 
begun to practice in Newburg, O. (now a part of 
the city of Cleveland) , when he] was suddenly 
stricken by death. 

Alvin, the fourth son, and next older than 
Warren, devoted his life to the medical profes- 
sion. His last thirty-nine years were spent in 
Ravenna, O., where he gained a widespread rep- 
utation as a skillful physician. He was attacked 
by typhoid pneumonia : and, when it was decided 
that the issue would be fatal, he requested that his 
brother Warren should be sent for. A telegram 
was immediately dispatched, but before Warren 
arrived death had claimed its victim. Alvin, 
knowing the hours of arrival of the different 
trains, would often inquire whether the time was 
not near at hand. At length he said, " I can not 
wait longer ; bid him good-by for me," and he fell 
asleep. 

In early life Alvin had been skeptical. When 
(in 1854) he was standing with his brother War- 
ren at the grave of their father, as the remains 
were being lowered, Alvin said: '* I would give 
the world, if I possessed it, for the hope that 
you have, and that I have no doubt you enjoy ; 
but the future looks dark to me.'* As the years 
(7) 



8 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

passed, his skepticism gradually gave way, until, 
later, when visited by Warren, he would often in- 
vite him to return thanks at the table, and some- 
times to read the Scriptures and offer prayer 
before retiring for the night. 

In the autumn preceding his death, while the 
two were conversing upon religious matters, he 
said: "You think I will never unite with the 
church, but I think I shall. If you could know 
how hard it is for a man of my age to break away 
from his lifelong associations, you could not be 
too thankful that you became a Christian in early 
life. Would that I had done the same !" 

Of the sisters, Louisa became the wife of D. 
K. Wheeler, while Ruth became Mrs. Calvin 
Rawson. The third, Charlotte, married Joseph 
H.Ward. 

The three sisters lived and died in their native 
county. Of the original family, none survive 
except Warren. 

At an early age there appeared some of the 
traits that have since become marked charac- 
teristics. Among these were a love of a trade, 
and a general capacity for business. He re- 
lates a number of transactions, which, perhaps, 
do not differ greatly from the average country 
boy's experience. But one was of so unique a 
character that it certainly deserves to be recorded. 

A very dear friend of nearly the same age had 
a name that Warren admired more than any other 
proper name. He says he tried to purchase it, 
and to exchange for it, but without success 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 9 

Finally his business tact suggested that each 
should take the first name of the other and use it 
for a second name. As this met with Asa's favor, 
they were known thereafter as Asa Warren Raw- 
son and Warren Asa Belding. 

Another prominent trait which appeared early 
in life and which, though subdued by age, has 
never been lost, is his love for a joke. 

One day, while riding — according to custom, 
upon horseback behind his father — he suddenly 
called out: " Father, who is that coming behind 
us on a white horse?" 

The father turned himself on his horse, and, 
looking back, replied : "I see no one." 

'*Turn your horse around." 

This was soon done. Still the father saw no 
one. At this the boy said: *'It's just an April 
fool, father." 

This was too much for the serious-minded par- 
ent, and the rebuke he administered was so severe 
that a like experiment was never again attempted 
at his father's expense. 



CHAPTER IV. 

At the age of fourteen, Warren was placed in 
what was called the High School of Randolph. 
Here he distinguished himself for a time by his 
high spirits and intense love of fun. He himself 
says of this period : "I was not as well qualified 
to enter this school as I might have been had I 
been as faithful to my studies as I was diligent at 
play. I do not think I was vindictive, sullen or 
stubborn, but I zuotdd have fun." 

The boundless energy displayed in after years 
in the service of Christ found its outlet while he 
was a boy in the hundreds of mischievous pranks 
that he played. 

Schoolmasters in those days were literally 
" knights of the birch," and, as it was the stand- 
ing rule with his father to duplicate any whipping 
he received at school, Warren considered it a 
fortunate day when he came off with no more 
than two punishments. On one occasion, the 
teacher having remarked many times that he had 
eyes in the back of his head, it occurred to War- 
ren to test the truth of the remark by removing 
his chair as he started to sit down. Watching his 
opportunity, he did so, and, as the result, the 
teacher measured his length upon the floor. The 
result may be left to the reader's imagiHation ; 
but the next day found him as deeply in mischief 
as ever. 

The teacher one day fell asleep in his chair. 
Warren coolly split a goose-quill, crept softly up, 
do) 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. II 

and placed it firmly on the end ol his nose. This 
was too much for the school ; the shouts of laugh- 
ter aroused the slumberer and his ungovernable 
temper. His first inquiry was: "Who did it?" 
The scholars were disposed to shield the perpe- 
trator of the daring joke ; but the teacher's anger 
was excited to its fighting-point, and he declared 
that] he would flog every scholar in the school 
unless the culprit was revealed to him. By some 
means he gained the desired information, and the 
truthfulness of the saying that ' ' a scolding does 
not hurt and a whipping- doesn't last long " proved 
less true in practice than in theory. 

Another characteristic, which manifested itself 
in boyhood, and which has always been prominent 
in the man, is an ambition not to be Joutdone. 
This is not associated with a selfish spirit, nor is it 
the result of pride, but, rather, the outworking of 
a restless energy. This quality sometimes led the 
lad into difficulties. In those days every one 
drank liquor. Farmers furnished strong drink in 
the field and at all house and barn raisings. 
Church-members distilled and sold it without any 
qualms of conscience and without losing the re- 
spect of their neighbors ; even ministers of the 
gospel made liberal use of it. It need not be 
thought strange that Dr. Rufus Belding had com- 
bined hotel-keeping with his farming and practice 
of medicine. In his hotel, as a matter of course, 
he kept a bar. Nor was it deemed incongruous 
that Captain Hubbard, who was one of the lead- 



12 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

ing men of the place, and a deacon in the church, 
should own and operate a distillery. 

As Warren advanced in ^^ears he felt an increas- 
ing desire to be a man and to do the things that 
all men seemed to do. Inasmuch as all his male 
acquaintances drank liquor, he felt that a long 
stride toward manhood would be taken when he 
learned to drink. He told his stepmother one 
day that he wished she would not stint him, but 
for once give him all the whisky he could take. 
She immediately granted his request, placing be- 
fore him a large glass of liquor, well sweetened. 
Telling him to help himself, she left him. This 
he proceeded to do, taking spoonful doses and 
after each one trying to^walk a crack in the floor. 
This was continued until, unable to stand, he fell 
violently, striking his head and causing his nose to 
bleed copiously. 

A short time after this, he was invited by Cap- 
tain Hubbard's sons to visit their father's distillery. 
Obtaining permission from his father, he did so, 
and was much interested in the various processes 
of the still. At length one of the boys proposed a 
test which he said was put to all visitors to the es- 
tablishment. It was to see who could drink the 
most of the raw spirits without staggering under 
the load. The noble sons of the captain set the 
example of draining the proof-glass filled from the 
barrel, and Warren, of course, followed suit, 
emptying several glasses in his anxiety to show his 
manhood. The consequence was that he became 
drunk, and had to be carried home in a carriage 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. AV. A. BELDING. 13^^ 

by his comrades and put to bed to sleep oft^ the 
effects of the liquor. 

Warren declares from that event he first learned 
the close relationship existing between falsehood, 
deceit and the liquor business ; for he afterwards 
learned that the boys who had led in this exploit 
did not drink a drop, but merely feigned to do so. 
From that day to this he has declared his undying 
enmity to the making and sale of intoxicants. He 
has never swerved from the resolution then formed. 
The cause of temperance has always found in him 
a zealous advocate, while the ranks of total ab- 
stainers received a lifelong recruit. 

His first literary production, which was read be- 
fore the school not long afterward, was an essay, 
in which he took the position that the manufactur- 
ers and venders of liquor were more guilty than 
the consumers ; inasmuch as the former acted for 
the sake of paltry gain, while the drinker often- 
times was the victim of an uncontrollable appetite. 

This was a very advanced position for those 
days, and was vigorously resented by many in 
the community. One good man, a liquor-dealer 
and a deacon in the church, forbade his daughter's 
walking to and from school with a boy of so rad- 
ical sentiments. 

Warren also tried tobacco once — and once only. 
He has often been heard to say that he does not 
understand how Christian men can indulge in so 
filthy and injurious a habit, directly contrary to. 
Second Corinthians vii. i. 



CHAPTER V. 

About this time the doctrine called " Camp- 
bellism " was introduced into Randolph. This 
greatly disturbed the orthodox citizens of the 
town, so that even the Methodists, who so lately 
had met with the same disfavor on making their 
debtit^ took fright, and, joining forces with the 
Presbyterians, thought to stay the ravages of a de- 
lusion which threatened the ruin of manv of their 
best citizens. 

The adjoining town of Deertield had taken hold 
of the pernicious and unheard-of doctrine, that 
God had so plainly and simply revealed his zvill 
in the Bible that men of common tinderstanding 
could read it ^ gather its meanings and even tell 
to others the plan of salvation. This was aston- 
ishing, and led to more Bible reading in a few 
months than had been done before in many years. 
Men were sent over from Deerlield, one after an- 
other, or in couples, until the wonder was whether 
all its men were not preachers. These men were 
Jonas Hartzell, Peter Hartzell, John McGowen, 
Peter McGowen, Amos Allerton and Z. Finch, 
with others whose names are not recalled. Most 
of them found a temporarv home at Dr. Belding's, 
where they were always welcome. One of them, 
being asked by the doctor how many preachers 
there were in Deerfield, replied: " About sixty." 
*' How manv members in the church?" "About 
sixty male members." 

This was in harmony with Scripture teaching, 
(14) 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. I5 

as found in Paul's second letter to Timothy : "The 
things thou hast heard . . . commit thou to faith- 
ful men, who shall be able to teach others also." 

On August 27, 1832, Warren resolved to carry 
into execution a desire long cherished, although 
expressed to very few ; that desire was to become 
a Christian. His most intimate friend, Stephen R. 
Hubbard, had asked him several times to obey the 
gospel with him, but Warren was not then read}^. 
Now that he had made up his mind, he would like 
the company of his friend ; however, Stephen's 
time and opportunity were past, his desires having 
taken another direction. So Warren alone, true to 
his convictions of duty, was immersed, upon a pro- 
fession of his faith in Christ as the Son of the* 
living God, by the hands of Elder Marcus Bos- 
worth . 

The day he was baptized was a memorable one 
to the Disciples of Christ in Ohio, as well as to 
himself — memorable to the Church as the date of 
the first annual meeting of the State. The pres- 
ence of every leader and nearly every member of 
the denomination living in Ohio made the occa- 
sion important to all. 

Among those best known who were assembled 
on that day were Alexander Campbell ; Tolbert 
Fanning, of Tennessee ; A. S. Hayden, William 
Hayden, J. J. Moss, and Marcus and Cyrus Bos- 
worth . 

He cast in his lot with the little company of 
Disciples, then nicknamed " Campbellites," al- 
though they acknowledged no names except those 



l6 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. ^V. A. BELDING. 

sanctioned by the primitive church — ' ' Disciples: 
of Christ," or *' Christians." As a church or 
body, they desired only the name authorized by 
the Master, when he said that he would build 
upon a foundation against which the gates of hell 
could not prevail ; meaning the Church of Christ. 

Very naturally, the reader will want to know 
what became of Stephen Hubbard. His refusal 
to go with Warren sealed his fate ; from that time 
forward he never again felt *' almost persuaded." 
He married a devoted and religious young lady ;. 
children were born to them, and the wife, by her 
devotion to the cause of Jesus, won other souls to 
him. But her tears and prayers were unavailing 
in Stephen's behalf. When on her death-bed, she 
took from beneath her pillow her long-loved Bible 
— her mother's gift — and begged him to accept it 
and to promise that, as it had been her guide 
through life, so he would make it his. He took 
the well-worn book, but he withheld the promise. 
The last word heard from him by his old compan- 
ion was a letter written with the trembling hand 
of age and betraying the skepticism still nursed in 
his almost pulseless breast. 

warren, wuh fixed purpose, began his religious 
life in earnest. He made an effort several times 
to speak in prayer-meeting, but each time failed,, 
owing to his extreme embarrassment. 

JNo doubt one reason for this lay in the fact that 
his lormer associates had said sneeringly : " Yes, 
he got dipped that he might be a preacher." The 
remark had its influence, and, with all his efforts. 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 1 7 

to drive it away or rise above it, he was unable 
for a long time to accomplish what he otherwise 
might have done. 

An incident of this period will illustrate the de- 
gree of his embarrassment ; and few have felt it 
more than he. Calling one day on a very pious 
member of the church — who, to all appearances, 
was near the close of life, being so feeble that he 
was unable to speak above a whisper — he was 
beckoned to the old man's bedside, and, in scarcely 
audible voice, was requested to pray ; but so em- 
barrassed was the lad that he turned aside, feign- 
ing not to hear. The good man died soon after- 
wards, and for a long time Warren was troubled 
by night and day. He never found relief until 
he sought pardon of the Lord, resolving that he 
would never again be guilty of a like offense. 

By repeated efforts to speak, this timidity was 
'gradually overcome. A constant study of the 
Scriptures gave him courage and increased his 
knowledge of the truth. 



CHAPTER VI. 

In January, 1834, accompanied by Stephen 
Hubbard — who now took no interest in the sub- 
ject of religion — he one day left the heated school- 
room, and, rushing, boylike, into the extremely 
cold outdoor air, ran a mile and a quarter to his 
home. Having become intensely heated by this 
violent exercise, and using no precaution, they 
cooled off too rapidly. Warren, as a result, was 
attacked with a severe cold, and that night was 
stricken with pneumonia. This disease held him 
poised between life and death for seven long 
weeks. Much of that time he was unconscious 
of his surroundings ; but his mind seemed to rove 
among the stars, from world to world, even to 
that home of which we know so little, save what 
we see by the eye of faith ! This was told him 
by his bedside watchers. When consciousness 
returned, it was decided that there was no hope of 
life. There were several consulting ph3^sicians, 
partly because of sympathy for the father, who, 
you will remember, was a physician. Some of 
them were very confident in their opinions, and 
said that he '' was no better ofl than in his grave." 

The watchfulness of the loving father and the 
vigilance of the kind-hearted stepmother can 
never be forgotten. The brothers and sisters also 
rendered what assistance they could, and, 
prompted by grief and sympathy, did all that 
human hands could do to be helpful in these try- 
ing hours. The time came when it was thought 
(18) 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. I9 

the struggle was over. The father had pro- 
nounced him dead, and the family was in tears ; 
while the son, with mind unclouded, was wonder- 
ing all the time why the living should manifest so 
much grief at so happy a change. He was be- 
holding, as in a panorama, his entire life at a 
single glance, and at the same time getting a view 
of heaven, with its myriads of inhabitants, when, 
to his great disappointment, he heard his father 
say : " He is reviving." 

No language can express the peculiar emotions 
of that hour in being brought back to life. The 
entire past and the heavenly future, both occupy- 
ing the mind at the same moment, are indescribable. 
If that point of exquisite bliss can ever again be 
reached, it will not, it can not, seem hard to die. 

This was the crisis, from which hour he became 
convalescent. '*A walking skeleton" was re- 
ported to infest the house. Long and tedious was 
the process of recovery ; but precious hours for 
study and reflection were afforded, and it was at 
this time that he resolved to devote the future of 
his life to the proclamation of God's own plan for 
the salvation of men, through the gospel of his 
Son. 

A plan was formed and an effort made to carry 
the same into execution. He was to enter the 
field in company with A. S. Hay den, his senior 
by a few years. When the desire was made 
known to his father it did not meet his approval, 
and for awhile it was abandoned. 

His father was noi yet identified with the Disci- 



20 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. ^V. A. BELDING. 

pies, but avowed himself a " Campbellite." He 
had been associated with the Universalists, in 
which faith his first wife, the mother of Warren, 
had lived and died. Her funeral services had 
been conducted by Ebenezer Williams, who after- 
wards became a preacher among the Disciples, as 
did also his brother Frederick. Both of them 
have told the writer that when they first heard the 
ordinance of Christian baptism discussed by the 
Disciples, to their minds it was clearly taught, 
and their love for Christ and reverence for his au- 
thority led them at once to say : *' Lord, lead and 
we will follow." They were both baptized, be- 
lieving as firmly as ever that God would ultimately 
bring the entire race into a state of holiness and 
happiness. They soon lost their belief in Univer- 
salism, but when or how they never knew. 

To return to the avowal of the father that he 
was a Campbellite : he wrote and circulated a 
subscription to build a house, in which the people 
called " Campbellites " or ''Disciples" might 
worship. On being asked whether he and one of 
his neighbors were Disciples, he promptly an- 
swered : '' No, we are * Campbellites.' " He de- 
fined the word as meaning one who believes the 
teaching of Alexander Campbell, but does not 
obey it. He said, further, that that teaching of the 
Disciples was the only consistent Scriptural doc- 
trine he had ever heard. He circulated the sub- 
scription and largely superintended the work of 
building the house, until it was ready for use. He 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 21 

was among the first within its walls to make con- 
fession of his faith in a once crucified and buried, 
but now risen and exalted, Savior. His course of 
life, in some respects, was changed ; in many oth- 
ers there was no need of change. As already 
stated, two of the deacons of the church were 
manufacturers of whisky ; of which he himself 
was a retailer. Nevertheless, three better men 
would have been hard to find. 

The son, Warren, dissuaded by his father from 
devoting his life to preaching, and especially from 
beginning at so early an age, turned his attention 
to the study of medicine. His father had a good 
medical library for the times, and he inherited a 
taste for this kind of study that increased as the 
years rolled on. But, in spite of his love for the 
study of medicine, he never lost his desire to 
preach the gospel. If an opportunity offered to 
talk on the subject, he seldom let it pass without 
trying to improve it. It was not, however, until 
several years later that he attempted to preach a 
discourse. Warren began the practice of medi- 
cine in 1839, at Aurora, O., with Dr. Fowler, of 
that place, but soon after removed to Greentown, 
Stark Co., O. 

Being in Wayne County, where Dr. George W, 
Lucy was holding a meeting of some days' dura- 
tion, the doctor insisted that " Bro. Belding 
should preach in his stead." Warren naturally 
declined, saying that he had never tried to preach ; 
but the preaching doctor was not to be put off. 



22 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

and declared that Warren must do it. When he 
found excuses of no avail, he made up his mind 
to make the effort, but told Dr. Lucy that the re- 
sponsibility of failure lay with him. It is related 
that he spoke earnestly for about thirty minutes, 
but when he sat down he could not recollect any- 
thing he had said. 

Not long after this, while living in Stark 
County, O., Warren heard a Methodist preacher, 
one Sunday evening, advance some sentiments 
which he did not think in harmony with Bible 
teaching He arose, and begged the privilege of 
asking a question or two. 

It was readily granted by the minister, a Mr. 
Weekly. The lirst question was: "Suppose a 
man to be so depraved by nature that he can not 
think a good thought, speak a good word, or do a 
good act, without some renewing grace ; if he 
never gets the renewing grace, on whom does the 
blame rest?" 

Before the question was fairly put, an old gen- 
tleman, in a very excited and angry manner, 
jumped up and said : "I think you had better sit 
down." Bro. Weekl}^ spoke up very pleasantly, 
and said : " Speak on, doctor." He resumed his 
talk, when the old man again cried out: "You 
had better sit down. You have manifested 
enough of the spirit of antichrist." Bro. Weekly 
kindly said, "Go on, brother," keeping silence 
while the doctor finished his speech. It was a 
dear speech for him from a business standpoint. 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 23 

as he did not receive a call from a single member 
of that church for the next three or four months. 
When a physician's services were needed, they 
sent ten miles for a Methodist doctor. This was 
no new thing, however, for ''''our religion^'' was 
frequently a persecuted religion. But the world 
moved on, and the cause of the Master gained 
friends by being persecuted. 



CHAPTER VII. 

Doctor Belding, as he was thereafter called, 
grew in spiritual strength, and was embolden to 
speak publicly and advocate the distinctive fea- 
tures of the plea which is characteristic of the 
Disciples of Christ. While in Stark County, he 
was invited to assist in holding a meeting at Indian 
Run, where the Baptists had a small church. The 
pastor, Israel Belton, came in and took a friendly 
part in the services a few times, until his brethren 
found so much fault with him that he frankly told 
them that if they did not cease their persecutions 
he would unite with the Disciples, for he believed 
they had the truth. This he subsequently did, 
and, through the united efforts of Bros. Belton 
and Belding, the two bodies became one, and 
have continued thus until the present time. 

His professional business frequently called him 
into adjoining towns, where he would make an 
appointment to preach in the evening, returning 
to his home after meeting. Thus he would de- 
liver more discourses in the year than many men 
who gave their entire time to the work of preach- 
ing. 

He could never understand how some pastors, 
making it the business of their lives, could expect 
the Master to say, '* Well done, good and faithful 
servant," for the little labor they had performed. 

We will step back to relate a few incidents 
which occurred before this time. On September 
29, 1837, he was married to Miss MyraE. Ward, 
(24) 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. V/ . A. BELDING. 25 

the eldest daughter of Elisha Ward, of Randolph, 
O. Their first-born child, a daughter named 
Sarah Sophia, died at the age of two years and a 
half, at Hanover, Columbiana Co., O., where 
they had taken up their residence. While living 
at Hanover, he preached throughout Columbiana 
and Carroll Counties. 

While attending an annual meeting in what was 
called the Roudabush settlement, upon his return 
from meeting one evening. Mother Roudabush, 
who spoke very broken English, not knowing 
that Dr. Belding was in the house, asked: "Who 
vas dot ugly mon vat breached to-day?" Not 
being able to describe him very accurately, she 
was delighted when the doctor stepped into the 
room, and shouted : " Dot is de werry feller." 

A discussion was carried on for several days by 
Bro. J. H. Lamphear and Dr. Belding on one 
^ide, and A. C. Hanger and Dr. Hays, of the 
Christian Connection, on the other. This at- 
tracted much attention in the community, and 
brought together large audiences. The questions 
discussed were : "Does the guilt of original sin 
cleave to every child of Adam ?" and, if so, " Does 
God, by some supernatural interposition of his 
Spirit, convert and save him?" Of these two 
propositions Mr. Hanger and Dr. Hays affirmed 
and the others denied. Another subject was : 
" Do the Scriptures teach that the alien or sinner 
must be baptized in order to become a citizen of 
the kingdom of Christ?" Also: "Are all spirit- 
ual blessings promised, in the Bible, m Chj'istf'' 



26 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

These latter propositions were affirmed by Lamp- 
hear and the Doctor, and denied by the others. 
This was the iirst public discussion in which Dr. 
Belding ever engaged. But the triumph of truth 
was so apparent to the minds of the peojple^ 
and they were so demonstrative, that it embold- 
ened him to stand for its defense wherever and 
whenever it seemed to be demanded of him. 

Soon after this, in company with Joseph 
Rhodes, or Father Rhodes, as he was familiarly 
called in the community, he went into Carroll 
County to attend a meeting to be conducted by 
Bro. Jonas Lamb. The preacher failing to ap- 
pear, the brethren insisted that Dr. Belding 
should Jlj^onduct the meeting — a thing he had 
never before attempted. But, as he had pledged 
himself never to shrink from what seemed to be 
his duty, he said: ''With your help and the 
help of the Lord, I will try." At the first meet- 
ing, Saturday afternoon, three persons came for- 
ward to confess their faith in the Savior, and 
asked to be baptized. 

Now came a greater ordeal than any preceding 
one. He had never administered the rite of bap- 
tism, and there was doubt in his mind whether it 
was proper for him to do so, never having been or- 
dained to the ministry. But the thought from the 
''Book of all books," that every Christian is a 
"king and priest to God," settled the question, 
and he resolved to do the best that he could. 

The hour was set for the baptism, and a large 
gathering was in waiting at the water when he ar- 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 27 

rived. It seemed to him that every eye was fixed 
upon him, and that everybody knew this to be his 
first experience. Some, indeed, hoped that he 
might make a failure, for the people of this com- 
munity had little regard for the institution. After 
invoking the divine blessing upon the candidates 
and administrator, they descended with trembling 
steps into the water. When a sufRcient depth was 
reached, in as solemn and reverential a manner as 
possible the person was buried in the baptismal 
grave, raised from it, and led to the shore with a 
relief of mind which is easy to imagine. The 
second candidate was led forward and both went 
down into the water. The first was so easily bap- 
tized that, not being on his guard, he failed to 
entirely submerge the second, who was very tall. 
He had partly raised him out of the water, when 
Father Rhodes shouted: " Bro. Belding, bury 
that man!" On this advice, he was again low- 
ered into the water and buried. This, while it 
was very embarrassing, taught him a lesson which 
he never forgot. Thenceforward he never failed 
to bury the candidate entrusted to his hands as 
baptist. 

Some years after this, a gentleman in Cato, N. 
Y., who all his life had been troubled with skepti- 
cism, was compelled to yield to the claims of the 
gospel and desired to be baptized. As he was 
being led down into the stream, he asked the doc- 
tor to bury him as deeply as possible and hold him 
under the water at least thirty seconds. This 
request was complied with, and the brethren on 



^8 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. \V. A. BELDING. 

shore became quite excited, thinking that perhaps 
the doctor had not strength to raise him. Bro. 
Cook, an elder in the congregation, stepped into 
the water and was coming to his assistance ; but, 
before he reached the spot, the apparent struggle 
was over and the anxiety relieved. 

The reason afterward given for this singular 
request was a desire to remain under water long 
•enough to think of the death, burial and resurrec- 
tion of Christ. 

From this time forward, he devoted much more 
time than before to preaching, and, while he con- 
tinued the practice of medicine, he did not, and 
would not, accept compensation for his service as a 
preacher. In looking over his old diaries, we find 
recorded : '* For two hundred and sixty-seven days, 
spent largely in preaching, I received two dollars 
and thirty-seven cents in cash, a pair of socks and 
a pair of striped mittens, knit and given me by an 
old sister." 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Leaving Hanover, he moved to Minerva, Stark 
County, in 1841. Here he entered into partner- 
ship with Bro. Geo. W. Lucy, who was also a 
physician and preacher. Being alike interested 
both in the practice of medicine and in preaching 
the gospel, they so managed that one of them was 
constantly filling a pulpit on Lord's-days, and 
irequencly engaged in protracted meetings during 
the week. 

Bro. J. H. Jones was assisting in a meeting in 
Minerva, where he and the doctor were preaching 
alternately. One afternoon, when Bro. Jones was. 
expected to preach, the hour for meeting arrived, 
but the preacher did not put in an appearance ► 
The brethren, becoming somewhat impatient, 
requested Dr. Belding to go on with the services. 
After the opening hymn, the reading of the Scrip- 
tures and prayer, and after the doctor had an- 
nounced the subject of his discourse, Bro. Jones 
stepped in the door. Dr. Belding sat down, and 
Bro. Jones, wiping the freely flowing perspiration 
from his face, walked into the pulpit and said: 
** Brethren, I have been a-fishing ; and no man 
can be a good preacher who is not a good fisher- 
man." He then continued: *' Jesus once said, 
* Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. '^ 
Pray tell me, where did a man ever catch a fish 
but in the water?" 

This was the theme of his discourse, founded 
upon the language of Christ to Nicodemus, John 
(29) 



30 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. \V. A. BELDING. 

iii. 5 : '* Except a man be born of water and of 
the Spirit, he can not enter into the kingdom of 
God." He gave an explanation of the figurative 
language of the Savfor, as follows : " The man be- 
gotten or regenerated by the Spirit, through the in- 
strumentality of the gospel, as Paul declares ( i Cor. 
iv. 15) : ' Though ye have ten thousand instructors 
in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers : for in Christ 
Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel ' — 
this man, being baptized, or born of water (not of 
a few drofs^ a substance less than itself, but a 
burial^ a phuitrng, an overwhelming) , is born of 
the Spirit at the same time, having been begotten 
by it. It is one thing to become a citizen of a 
kingdom, but quite another to form the character 
of a loyal citizen. The King will crown only 
those who are loyal." 

While speaking of the peculiarities of J. H. Jones 
(for there has never been one like him), we will 
relate another incident which occurred at Minerva 
in the same meeting. While Bro. Jones was 
preaching, one of his own little boys, who had 
been led into the meeting by his aunt, his mother 
being absent that day, partaking of his father's 
mischievous disposition, seemed inclined to take 
advantage of circumstances. While his father 
was preaching, he did not behave himself in a 
manner altogether satisfactory. His father spoke 
to him reprovingly two or three times without 
producing the desired result. Thereupon he 
asked the congregation to sing a few verses of a 
familiar hymn, and, stepping down from the pul- 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 3 1 

pit, he took the offending lad by the hand and 
started toward the door. Conviction at once 
seized the boy, and, if drops of grief are an evi- 
dence of repentance, he became a true penitent. 
Nevertheless, his father chastised him with a 
hickory switch. The performance being ended, 
the lad was brought in and seated, with an em- 
phatic " Sit down and behave yourself." After 
this episode, the preacher resumed his place in 
the pulpit, and succeeded (as few men can do) in 
drawing the attention of the people from what 
had occurred, to the subject under discussion. 

The following anecdote will illustrate the dan- 
ger of indiscriminate rebuke from the pulpit : 
A minister, who was called to preach in a cer- 
tain place, found before him a young man who 
not only seemed indifferent to the sermon, but 
who was talking and apparently trying to attract 
the attention of those around him. The speaker 
rebuked him sharply, but without good result. 
When the preacher went to his temporary home, 
the host expressed his regret that he had reproved 
the young man ; for he belonged to one of the 
best families in town, but was an idiot — not 
responsible for what he did — and the parents 
w^ould be much grieved. The preacher declared 
that thereafter he never dared to reprove any one 
in church for fear of rebuking an idiot. 

The doctor thought on one occasion that he 
would try the effect of relating the above incident 
in church. It was while holding a meeting at 
Cascade, Mich. Two young ladies — one the 



32 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. ^V. A. BELDING. 

daughter of a clergyman in the village, the other 
an intimate associate of hers — had proved very 
troublesome, not only to the resident pastors, but 
to all who had filled the pulpits of the place. 
After inquiring who they were, and being told 
that it would be useless to reprove them, the 
doctor one day paused in the midst of his sermon 
and told the story. It proved effectual as nothing^ 
else had been. The girls covered their faces with 
their veils and pouted until the services were over. 
They then said they would not hear that man 
preach again, because he had called them idiots^ 
He frankly confessed that it would have been 
much better to interest them and captivate their 
affections, if possible, by the gospel of Christ, 
and lead them to an acknowledgment of the 
truth. But this appeared to be hopeless. 

About the year 1840, the doctor held a series 
of meetings at Wintersville, O. In the course of 
the protracted effort a number of persons con- 
fessed Christ and desired baptism. The same 
difficulty was encountered, to a limited extent, 
which is o^ten urged by pedobaptists as an argu- 
ment against immersion, viz. : the scarcity of 
water. There was no convenient place for bap- 
tizing, short of the Ohio River, six miles away. 

At one of the evening sessions, when the gos- 
pel invitation was extended, a young man, among 
others, came forward to make the confession. 
For some reason the doctor doubted his sincerity. 
So, after taking the confessions of the others, he 
turned to this young man and asked: " Who* 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 33 

wished you to be baptized?" He replied : " Mr. 

." "What did he agree to give you?" The 

answer was : " Twenty -five cents." The person 
who hired him to act thus was the son of a 
prominent church-member. The incident is a sad 
comment on the influence of sectarianism, and a 
proof of the truthfulness of the saying that " our 
religion is a persecuting religion." 

During the same meeting another incident oc- 
curred which illustrates the wiles of Satan in his 
efforts to hinder the progress of truth by making 
the ordinances of the gospel of Christ appear 
ridiculous . 

A man — or one who presented the appearance 
of a man — in answer to the inquiry, " Who is on 
the Lord's side?" came and said that he wished 
to do as they did in the days of the apostles (Acts 
xvi. 33), be baptized "the same hour of the 
night." The doctor, who had seen so many at- 
tempts to destroy the effect of his work, was at 
once impressed with a conviction that the whole 
thing was a scheme of the enemy's. They were 
evidently trying to get the preacher and the more 
zealous of the church-members to the water, sev- 
eral miles away, that they might find themselves 
without a candidate. So, for the first time in his 
life, he recommended putting off until to-morrow 
what the Lord commanded to be done to-day. 
But the Lord also commanded, through Paul, in 
First Corinthians iii. lo, that a man should be 
careful how he builds on the foundation, which is 
Christ. The suspicion proved to be well founded. 



34 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

for the man, penitent for what he had done, con- 
fessed that his only object was to play a trick upon 
the preacher. But the doctor detected the decep- 
tion, and he said to the congregation : " If it is a 
sheep, it will continue bleating around the fold ; 
but if a wolf, he will leave when he fails to catch 
the prey." 



CHAPTER IX. 

After the work closed at Wintersville, Dr. 
Belding was called to Steubenville to assist in a 
meeting at that place. Nothing of a very inter- 
esting or peculiar character occurred during this 
time, save one incident, which shows the influence 
of little things. The doctor had come in contact 
with some poison vine, and, being very suscepti- 
ble to its action, was suffering much inconvenience 
from it ; especially about the hands, which were 
not very presentable for the pulpit. Therefore, to 
hide their unpleasant appearance, he preached 
wearing gloves, and that without making an apol- 
ogy or explanation. 

Several 3^ears had elapsed ; when Dr. and Mrs. 
Belding were once crossing Lake Erie, Mrs. 
Belding fell in company with an old lady, and 
they became quite social. It was ascertained that 
the woman resided in Steubenville, and Mrs. Beld- 
ing asked her if she had ever attended the Chris- 
tian Church, or heard their preachers. The reply 
was : " Not often ; but, a number of years since, 
I heard a young upstart, who preached with his 
gloves on. That spoiled him for me!" Mrs. 
Belding called her husband, and, introducing him 
to the lady, said that she thought he must be the 
man alluded to, as she had heard him tell the same 
story. ' 

A revival was in progress at Bellaire, O While 
Dr. Belding was preaching on New Year's Day, 
word was brought to the church that the only two 
(35) 



36 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. ^V. A. BELDING. 

sons of Bro. Archer were drowned in the river. 
The whole congregation was thrown into confu- 
sion and rushed from the house. A diligent search 
was made for the bodies, and they were soon 
found, locked in each other's arms. The funeral 
was largely attended, and the doctor discoursed 
upon the words of the wise man: "Remember 
now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while 
the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, 
when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them " 
(Eccl. xii. i). Without doubt this dispensation 
of affliction had its influence upon the meeting, 
since large numbers were gathered into the church. 
About the year 1839, in Minerva, Dr. Belding 
formed the acquaintance of Charles Louis Loos, 
or Charlie Loos, as he was then called. He came 
from home to request the doctor's attendance 
upon his sister, who was quite ill. From that time 
their friendship has been constant and most inti- 
mate. When Charlie was quite a boy, Alexander 
Wilford Hall and he spent some little time at the 
doctor's home. On one occasion Charlie wished 
to leave the village quite early in the morning, 
and, being more thoughtful than many young men 
are, he did not want to disturb the people to get 
him an early breakfast. He thought he would 
take some bread and milk. But, there being no 
bread in the house, he started out to find some. 
After calling at the homes of Brethren Whittaker, 
Pool and Shrivers, he returned with the sad story 
of '^710 bread to he found^'''' remarking that it 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 37 

would be very difficult, in that village, for a man 
to live long on bread alone. 

Many pleasing incidents are recalled of their 
intermittent, though almost lifelong, companion- 
ship. In later years, Bro. Loos and wife desired 
to make a visit to New England. They proposed 
that the doctor accompany them, to which he 
assented. On their trip, they were permitted to 
visit nearly all of the Disciples in New England, 
for they were not numerous. While at Bro. J. C. 
Talbot's, in East Machias, on the seacoast of 
Maine, they remained several days without seeing 
a fish, either on the table or elsewhere. They 
wondered at it, as they supposed fish would be 
plentiful there, if anywhere. The doctor asked 
Sister Talbot if there were no fish in that part of 
the ocean. 

'* Fish ! " said she ; " yes, but we supposed that 
•everybody was tired offish, just as we are." 

"Well," replied the doctor, ^'- we want fish.'' ^ 

"Yes," said Bro. Loos, "fish, -fish^ fish, 
FISH, until we say stop." 

Here the doctor says : " If you desire a pleas- 
ant traveling companion, take the president of 
Kentucky University with you. You can have 
fun, anything serious or instructive, as you may 
desire. He does not think it wicked to laugh, 
and is in sympathy with the thought that God 
made this world for men. If kept under the feet, 
where it belongs, all will be well ; but if permitted 
to get on our heads, it will crush us, or if in our 



38 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

hearts, it will render us miserable forever. The 
Christian can enjoy all in this world that is worth 
enjoying, for he has the promise of this life and 
that which is to come. He who knows us better 
than we know ourselves has revealed to us his 
will — a guide to our feet and a lamp to our path- 
way. Will we walk in the light? " 



CHAPTER X. 

Dr. Belding was invited by a friend living 
there to preach a few discourses at Paris, Stark 
Co., O. But when he arrived, no house could be 
found in which to speak. The Methodists had 
the only church building in the place, and, being 
in power in the community, they closed the 
schoolhouse against the heretic. But, as often 
happens, they overshot the mark ; for it aroused 
a feeling, in the non-professing portion of the vil- 
lage, favorable to the heretic. A hotel-keeper 
came forward and said that he had a ballroom 
which he would seat and light, and that the doc- 
tor might occupy it as long as he pleased. The 
room was fitted up and crowded with people, 
curious to hear what the ' ' setters forth of strange 
doctrine" had to say. The meeting progressed 
and the interest increased. The people began 
the cry that "this fellow must be stopped in his 
work, or he will destroy our church and fill the 
community with his soul-destroying doctrine." 

The pastor of the church was approached by 
anxious members, and urged to interfere and stop 
the work of the " wolf in sheep's clothing," before 
he slew the lambs of the fold and scattered the 
sheep. He was earnestly entreated to enter into 
a discussion with the doctor, for there was no 
doubt that the fallacy of the *' Campbellite " 
teaching could easily be shown and its influence 
annulled. When the pastor was approached by 
some of the leading members of his church, who 
(39) 



40 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

insisted that something "must be done, he replied : 
" I am not going to load a forty-pounder to shoot 
a chipmunk." 

This, of course, came to the ears of the doctor, 
and feeling his spirit stir within him to see the 
place wholly given up to Methodism, he without 
doubt said some things [which tended to fan the 
flames already existing. At length, the fire be- 
came so hot that the pastor began to feel that the 
time had come when he ought to escape from the 
heat and save the remnant. Now, for the first 
time, he consented to hold a debate. Some of 
the citizens, not members of the church, came to 
the doctor and asked him if he would attempt, 
in a public discussion, to defend the position he 
had taken. To this he replied : " Yes, and more 
also. I will show that the Methodist Discipline 
is not only anti-scriptural^ but is, in its tendency, 
designed to make infidels instead of Christians." 

" What will you discuss? " 

" Anything in the Discipline, which is contrary 
to the teachings of the Bible." 

A number of propositions were submitted, and 
agreed upon by both parties. The time and 
place for the discussion were fixed, moderators 
were chosen, and an anxious community waited 
impatiently for the appointed hour. It came, and 
with it the crowd of people, for the news had 
spread far and wide. When the Methodist Epis- 
copal, " called and sent," preacher entered the 
place for discussion, his arms were loaded with 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 4I 

commentaries. He also had a large pair of old- 
fashioned " saddle-bags," brought in by an assist- 
ant, filled with books. It appeared as if the 
forty-pounder was- loaded, and as though the 
chipmunk might be in danger. The meeting was 
opened with prayer. The first proposition for 
debate was : " Do the Scriptures teach justification 
by faith only? " Half-hour speeches were agreed 
upon, and each was to be allowed his full time. 
*'The pastor" arose, and, opening his Bible, 
read what Paul said upon the subject of justifica- 
tion in Romans and Galatians. When the half- 
hour was up, the speaker sat down. The doctor 
arose and stood for a moment in the midst of a 
deathlike stillness. Picking up the written ques- 
tion from the desk, he read in clear and measured 
tones: "Do the Scriptures teach justification by 
faith only?" He then said: "James, we will 
hear your testimony." Turning to James ii. 24, 
he read: "You see then how that by works 
a man is justified, and not by faith only.^^ Closing 
the book, he sat down. 

The pastor arose for his second half-hour, and 
occupied it in reading page after page of com- 
ments from various authors. " Time expired," 
called out the moderator. Again Dr. Belding 
arose to his feet, read the question, and empha- 
sized still more the same answer. 

The Methodist pastor, doubtless, felt some an- 
noyance at the turn which the discussion had 
taken ; but he mustered courage to make his 



42 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

third attempt, which consisted in reading from 
manuscript that he had prepared for the occasion. 
At the expiration of his time and speech, the 
doctor again lifted the paper upon which the 
question was written, and said: *' Friends and 
brethren, this is a Bible question, and must be 
settled by Scriptural authority. Therefore, we 
will listen to the declaration of one concerning 
whom Jesus said : ' He that heareth you, heareth 
me ; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me ; and 
he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me/ 
James, what is your testimony? 'You see then 
how that by works a man is justified, and not by 
faith only' (James ii. 24)." The Methodist 
preacher and demolisher of " small animals" did 
not wait to discuss the remaining question, but, 
in a very excited and angry manner, gathered 
up his books, took his hat, and left the house 
and congregation. 

The only thing left for the doctor to do was 
to fill up the time allotted to him, which was one 
and a half hours — for he had not used more than 
five minutes. 

He accordingly delivered a discourse on the 
subject of justification, as taught in the Holy 
Scriptures. He endeavored to show that grace 
alone never blessed a man, but simply prepared 
the blessing. " Faith alone ^'*'' he asserted, "never 
blessed a man, but only led him to partake of 
the blessing which grace had prepared. * For 
by grace are ye saved through faith,' meaning. 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 43 

by faith are we led into the grace. By faith we 
eat and drink, and, in eating and drinking, we 
are blessed." 

As the visible results of the discussion and 
preaching, many were brought into Christ and to 
a knowledge of the truth. 



CHAPTER XL 

The spirit of the doctor was aroused by hearing 
that a Lutheran minister, by the name of Schafer, 
near Canton, O., had resolved to expose Camp- 
bellism (as he called it) at an appointed time. 
Word had been widely circulated, as he was a 
man of some note and would call together many 
people. Dr. Belding and Alexander Wilford 
Hall — then a stripling, but afterwards the author 
of " Universalism Against Itself," and, later, 
" The Problem of Human Life ; or, Evolution 
Evolved " — determined to hear him. 

After riding all day, they reached the place in 
time to find a large church filled with people. 
Being strangers, they readily gained admission, 
and listened to such a harangue and misrepre- 
sentation of the Campbellites — or Disciples, as 
the speaker sometimes called them — as but few 
men could or would give. 

At the close of a lengthy speech, and after the 
appointments for the next day (Sunday) were 
given out and the benediction had been pro- 
nounced, Dr. Belding asked the attention of the 
congregation for a few moments. All were seated, 
and, in breathless silence, wondered what was 
coming. 

The doctor requested the privilege of delivering 
an address in that house the next morning. 

The Rev. Mr. Schafer answered: "We, our- 
selves, want to use the house." 

To this the doctor replied : " We will be through 
(44) 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. AV. A. BELDING. 45 

with the house before the hour of your service — 
eleven o'clock." But this met with an emphatic 
response from the pulpit : " You can not have 
it, sir." 

In reply, the doctor said, in a tone which he 
intended should be heard by all who were in the 
house: "Very well, sir; the Lord willing, there 
will be preaching in the street, opposite this house ^ 
to-morrow morning at six o'clock." 

The night passed, and, at the appointed hour, 

a congregation, in number far exceeding what 

was expected, was in attendance and eager to 

hear. The place was beautiful— a green plot of 

grass, shaded by a grove of maples that had been 

planted to adorn a country churchyard. The 

services began with the hymn : 

"How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, 
Is laid for your faitli in his excellent word." 

Prayer was offered for the divine favor in behalf 
of the people assembled, and that they might be 
possessed of the same spirit that Jesus prayed for, 
as recorded in John xvii. This chapter was read 
and used as the text of the discourse by Dr. 
Belding. The union of all who believe on Christ,. 
through the teaching of his apostles, was the main 
topic of the address. 

He took the position that to adopt practically 
the one creed — the Bible, which all admit theo- 
retically to be the only infallible guide — and the 
one naine — Christian or Disciple of Christ, which 
is an honor to any one — would result in the bring- 
ing together of all who sincerely love Christ, and 



46 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

would thus lead the world to believe that " Jesus 
is the Christ, the Son of the living God." 

The discourse was listened to with attention. 
At the close, an elderl}^ man stepped forward, 
and said: "I have a new barn a short distance 
from here, which I will seat and light. You may 
preach in it as long as you please." 

The doctor asked how soon it could be made 
in readiness, to which the gentleman answered : 
^ ' By three o ' clock this aftern oon . " "All right , ' ' 
said the doctor; "there will be preaching, the 
Lord willing, in the barn this afternoon and 
evening." 

The announcement made and the meeting ad- 
journed, the people gathered in little groups to 
discuss what they had heard — some favorably im- 
pressed, some otherwise. The appointed hour 
came, and the people were again assembled. 
After the opening exercises, which were con- 
ducted by Dr. Belding, Alexander Hall addressed 
the audience, taking as a theme, "The Power 
and All-sufficiencv of God's Word in Converting 
and Saving Men." The train of thought was 
entirely new to his hearers. 

At evening the seats were well filled. The 
doctor presented the Bible as containing the re- 
vealed will of God, and spoke of its power in 
creation, providence and redemption. After the 
sermon, he announced that there would be preach- 
ing each afternoon and evening, until further 
notice. 

The whole community was aroused, and the 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 47 

Bible became the general theme of conversation 
among the people. Meetings continued for some 
weeks, and scores of people became obedient to 
the faith. Among them were several members 
of the Lutheran Church, who had looked in vain 
for what they had supposed to be clearly taught 
in the Scriptures, viz. : *' infant baptism." When 
they believed the preaching of Philip concerning 
the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus 
Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 
(Acts viii.) 

Here was organized the first " Campbellite 
church^' that has come to our knowledge. Dr. 
Rufus Belding, father of Dr. W. A. Belding, had 
defined a Campbellite to be one who believes the 
doctrine taught by Alexander Campbell, but re- 
fuses to obey it. From twenty to twenty-five men, 
mostly members of the Lutheran Church, formed 
what they called a "Campbellite" church, and 
appointed their elders and deacons. 

The special object ' of the organization was 
avowed to be the study of the Scriptures to see 
whether these things were so. The greater part 
of them were subsequently baptized, and became 
members of the church of Christ at Sparta. 

Among the number was a young man by the 
name of Stametts, who, yielding to his convic- 
tions of right, after a long study of the Bible, was 
induced to confess his faith in Christ, and was 
l)aptized by Dr. Belding. 

This young man's father, one of the leading 
men in the so-called " Evangelical " church, being 



48 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. \V. A. BELDING. 

very much enraged at the step his son had taken, 
drove him away from home. Mrs. Stametts (the 
mother) sent for Dr. Belding to visit her — the doc- 
tor thought, professionally. But he found out, on 
going there, that it was for spiritual, rather than 
medical, consultation. Father Stametts was so 
displeased at this that he left the house in a rage. 

A few years afterward, Elder Jonas Hartzell 
went into the neighborhood and delivered a few 
discourses in the German language. Mr. Stametts, 
being a German by birth, was induced to hear 
him, and soon, like thousands of others, fell in 
love with the simple truth. After a tim.e, he, too, 
was immersed by Bro. Hartzell. 

Dr. Belding, hearing of the change which had 
taken place, determined to visit Sparta, and call 
upon the adopted brother. This he did, and, as 
he was tying his horse to the post, Father Sta- 
metts, standing in the door, lifted the glasses from 
his eyes and discovered the newcomer. He has- 
tened to the gate, cr3nng out: ''Vy, Brudder 
Belding, is dat you ! You looks a heap more 
like a man as you used to do ; for you used to 
look like de werry debil. I always thought de 
debil and de Campbellite breacher looked zhoost 
alike." 



CHAPTER XII. 

At a later meeting held in Sparta, the doctor 
delivered a discourse upon " The Division of the 
Word," showing that no new revelations are now 
made to preachers, but that the injunction to 
rightly divide the Word of truth is imperative. 
He then pointed out that the Old Testament con- 
tains the account of creation, of the dealings of 
God with the human family for about sixteen 
hundred years, of the flood and the repeopling of 
the earth, together with a further history of the 
world for twenty-four hundred years until the 
coming of Christ ; that it contains the law, the 
prophets and the Psalms, and that the special 
design of it is to point the reader to Christ as 
the Messiah of God — God's Son and man's only 
Savior. 

He said further that the first four books of the 
New Testament give an account of the birth, life, 
death, burial and resurrection of Christ ; his com- 
mission to the apostles, and his ascension to 
heaven. The Book of Acts narrates some of the 
apostles' experiences with sinners, answering the 
question : '* What must I do to be saved? " (See 
Acts ii. 38 ; ix. 6 ; xxii. 16 ; x. 4, 48 ; also xvi. 

30-33-) 

The Epistles were written to believing, penitent, 

baptized persons ; to the individual, the family, 

the congregation and the church, scattered abroad 

everywhere. Their design was to teach how to 

live as Christians and form a Christlike character. 

(49) 



50 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

The Book of Revelation describes the Church 
of Christ, from its organization on the da}^ of 
Pentecost until the end of time ; telling of past 
events, others now transpiring, and still others 
yet to come, closing with a description of the 
Christian's final home. 

When the discourse was ended and the meeting 
dismissed, an old man. Dr. Tuttle, stepped t^or- 
ward. Taking Dr. Belding by the hand, he said : 
"My young brother, I have been a preacher in 
the Methodist Episcopal Church for thirty-six 
years, and have my license in my pocket. But 
I have learned more about the Bible this evening 
than in all my life before. Many, many things 
which have always been mysterious to me have 
been made plain by the division which you have 
given us." 

After hearing a few discourses, he further said : 
" I have been a regenerated man for nearl}^ fifty 
years, but have never been born. I wish to be 
baptized." His request was granted, and he was 
immersed in Sandy Creek by Bro. John Whittaker. 

To show what prejudice will do, we will further 
state that his baptism took place Lord's-day morn- 
ing. In the afternoon of the same day, and at 
his regular place of preaching, at the close of 
his sermon, he asked the church for a letter 
of commendation, saying: "I have my license 
from the conference, but, wishing to visit the 
western part of Ohio, I would like a letter, pro- 
vided you think I am worthy of one." This was 
freely granted, and a letter given him. But when 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 5 I 

it was ascertained that he had been immersed, the 
report was at once circulated that he ought to be 
excluded from the conference for immoral con- 
duct. He did not wait for the action of that body, 
but, having been born of water and the Spirit, 
he took his place among his brethren in Christ, 
and continued to preach the Word until death 
called him to lay his armor down. 

Soon after this, Dr. Belding moved from Mi- 
nerva, Stark Co., O., to Doylestown, Wayne 
County. Here he entered into partnership with 
Dr. A. L. Simmons, whose wife was a sister to 
Mrs. Belding, but had recently died. Through 
the instrumentality of Dr. Belding, a small con- 
gregation of Disciples was formed in Doylestown ; 
so also in Slankertown, two and a half miles away. 

To these, as well as other churches, he con- 
tinued to minister, without money and without 
price, until it was thought best for him to remove 
to the latter place. This he did in 1843, board- 
ing for some time with the family of Jacob 
Huffman, who was an earnest Christian and warm 
friend. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

In the small village of Slankertown was a 
hotel, kept by a German, for whom the village 
was named. At this place liquors were freely 
dispensed, which was quite a trial to the doctor, 
with his ^strong temperance principles. He re- 
peatedly remonstrated with Mr. Slanker, and tried 
to persuade him to abandon the sale of intoxicants 
and keep a temperance house. For a time Mr. 
Slanker intimated that he would do this. But he 
at last declared that, if he should give up the sale 
of whisky, he and his family would starve. The 
doctor, being somewhat excited, replied : " If you 
do not keep a temperance house, I will." Upon 
this they parted, but met again in a few days and 
resumed the conversation. 

The doctor reaffirmed his former statement, 
and asked Mr. Slanker: '* Have you ever known 
me to lie? My discipline says that I must not 
lie, and I shall not begin here." 

Matters looked very discouraging to a would-be 
hotel-seeker. He had but a small house ; but 
that was not the greatest obstacle to be overcome. 
His wife was an invalid, and had not walked a 
step for many years. But he believed that where 
there was a will a way could be found. His 
struggles in earlier life gave him strength and 
courage, and he at once set about enlarging his 
house and barn. Within four weeks he put out a 
sign with this inscription: "Temperance House, 
by W. A. Belding." This was made so con- 
(52) 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 53 

spicuous that it could be read from one end of 
the village to the other. The name was familiar, 
his father having kept a hotel for many years, so 
he received a steady patronage. 

Imagine a man practicing medicine, preaching 
the gospel, and now, with an invalid and almost 
helpless wife, attempting to run a hotel. But 
this he did, and was prospered in all. He finally 
resolved to dispose of the hotel, abandon the 
practice of medicine, and devote his life in 
future exclusively to the proclamation of the gos- 
pel of Christ. Ere long an apparent opening 
presented itself. 

During the year 1849, ^ nian who owned a 
piece of land in Shalersville made a proposal to 
exchange places with him. The terms were soon 
arranged, and the contract resulted in the re- 
moval of Dr. Belding to the extreme southwest 
corner of the township of Shalersville. That 
same year he began preaching for the church at 
Shalersville Center. 

He fitted up two rooms of a dilapidated log 
house that had come into his possession with the 
land before mentioned. It was thought that the 
wife and boy — Rufus E. , now about seven years 
old — could manage to winter there in tolerable 
comfort. When the family was settled, he com- 
menced a series of meetings in a schoolhouse 
near by. The interest increased until the house 
would not hold the audiences. 

A lot of wild and reckless boys were in the 
habit of attending the services, concerning whom 



54 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

the doctor's nearest neighbor had said, by way 
of warning : '* You must not leave your carriage, 
or anything else which these boys can get hold 
of, outside ; for they will surely destroy it or 
carry it oft' for you. Indeed, they often take my 
carriage w4ieels and hang them in the tops of 
the trees." 

The doctor had not forgotten that he was once 
young. He accordingly treated the boys kindly, 
and in turn found that they were always ready 
to do him any favor that he asked. 

During the meeting, several converts requested 
baptism. The stream was frozen over, but the 
boys were on hand. They cleared away the 
ice, held the doctor's overcoat and hat, and 
helped him into and out of the water, thus show- 
ing themselves to be among the warmest friends 
he had found in the neighborhood. 

The winter passed and the interest was such 
in the community about the center of Shalers- 
ville that a strong desire w^as expressed for the 
doctor to move into their midst and devote more 
time to them. This necessarily involved another 
change. Dennis C. Day, a good brother, pro- 
posed an exchange of farms with the doctor, 
but seven hundred dollars was required by the 
doctor to pay the difference in value. How^ he 
should do it and continue preaching was the 
question, for he had promised the Lord that he 
would continue to preach while he had strength. 

Ascertaining by accident that Albert Under- 
wood, the keeper of the poorhouse, was about 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 55 

to leave that situation, the doctor called on him 
and induced him to purchase a half interest in 
the new farm for fifteen hundred dollars. Mr. 
Underwood worked the farm, while the doctor 
preached. But, a year or so afterwards, the 
doctor's father, Dr. Rufus Belding, wished to 
join his son. The doctor agreed to purchase Mr. 
Underwood's half, which his father, in turn, 
agreed to buy from him. But after the doctor 
had given his notes for Mr. Underwood's interest, 
the father suddenly died. How to pay Mr. Under- 
wood fifteen hundred dollars was the question. 
However, as usual, a way was found. He sold 
the half interest to his brother Edwin, who came 
from Randolph, and worked the farm, while the 
doctor gave his whole time and attention to the 
work of the gospel ministry. 

The work of evangelizing seemed to be his 
strong point, and nearly one hundred were gath- 
ered into the Shalersville Church. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

In a meeting at which Thomas Munnell was 
assisting him, a certain young lady made con- 
fession of her faith in Christ. While the doctor 
was consulting with her and arranging for the 
baptism, the young lady's brother stepped in 
between his sister and the doctor, declaring that 
he would shoot any man who attempted to baptize 
his sister. The doctor very calmly, but decidedly, 
said to him that if his sister wished to be bap- 
tized and desired him to do it, he would undertake 
it. The brother then said that his sister wished 
to see her mother, to which the doctor replied : 
" She can do so if she desires." He asked a 
young man who stood near to drive his (the doc- 
tor's) carriage to the door. The lady and her 
sister stepped into the carriage, when a J r lend 
of her brother's said that he would drive for 
them. " Step in and do so," said the doctor. 
The young man declined, but, upon the doctor's 
insisting, he finally accepted the invitation and 
drove off. 

By this time the excitement was running high, 
and some of the people who knew the driver well 
said to the doctor : " You will not see your horses 
and carriage again to-night." But he replied 
that he had no fear of that. They did not return 
for some time. So Bro. Munnell and the doctor 
thought it might be well for them to go to the 
home of the young lady to see what was detaining 
them. Upon their arrival, they found the young 
(56) 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 57 

lady in tears, pleading with her mother for con- 
sent, which she positively refused to give. After 
urgent appeals and arguments, she at last yielded. 
The doctor took possession of his team, and, with 
the young ladies, Bro. Munnell and the young 
man who had driven from the church, hastened to 
the creek at Bro. Davis Haven's, where the bap- 
tism was to be administered. It was nearly or 
quite twelve o'clock, and Bro. Haven's house was 
crowded to overflowing. 

Some time was spent in prayer, song and ex- 
hortation. Dr. Belding remarked, "There is a 
young lady " — pointing towards the sister of the 
one about to be baptized — "who told me this 
evening, that if it were not for her associates, 
she also would confess and obey her Savior, 
which she believed to be her duty." 

A young man standing near her, after whisper- 
ing to her, said: "She says that she never 
said so." 

The doctor turned to her, and asked : " Harriet, 
did 3^ou not tell me that this evening? " 

" I did," she audibly replied. 

Another invitation was [extended, which four 
more accepted, and fourteen were immersed into 
Christ without any disturbance whatever. 

While living in Shalersville, the doctor spent 
a portion of his time in the surrounding towns. 
A meeting was appointed in Garrettsville, where 
he was expected to preach in the evening He 
drove from his home in the afternoon and stopped 
at the house of Bro. Rudolph, who was one of 



58 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

the elders of the church. As the hour for meet- 
ing drew near, it rained in torrents. But Bro. 
Rudolph, who was a brave soldier, said: "We 
will go to meeting, for we must not let trifles 
keep us from the performance of duty." Soon 
his carriage was at the door, and his family and 
the doctor got into it. The rain increased, and, 
just as the elder and the preacher arrived at the 
church, the sexton was on the steps, about to 
open and light the house. But the sexton said : 
'* It is useless to open this house to-night, for 
no one will be here." Bro. Rudolph turned to 
the doctor and asked: " Shall we get out of the 
carriage?" The doctor replied: "Do as you 
think best, for I will take no responsibility in the 
matter." Bro. Rudolph turned his horses and 
drove home. On the way they met two men 
going to meeting, and in the morning the doctor 
met a young lady, who said she was waiting for 
the house to be lighted and was intending to go 
to church. This caused him to renew a former 
pledge, that, if he had an appointment to preach 
and had but one hearer^ he would preach to 
that one. 

Onl}' a few weeks had elapsed when he went 
to Streetsboro to till an engagement in a school- 
house. Upon entering, he found it empty. He 
took his Bible, and, while he was reading, three 
men came in. Two of them he knew to be mem- 
bers of the church, while one was not. The rain 
was falling copiously, and one of the brethren 
proposed that they all go across the street to hear 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 59 

what the Baptist minister might have to say. The 
doctor said that if they would remain, he would 
preach to them. They assented, and he addressed 
the two brethren for perhaps thirty minutes. He 
then turned and spoke to the man of the world, 
closing with a personal appeal: "Do you believe 
what I have said ? " He replied :" I do." "Do 
you intend ever to become a Christian?" He 
answered promptly: " I do." The question was 
then put, " When? " and as promptly answered : 
" I will start to-day." The confession of his 
faith in Christ was then taken, and the preacher 
and congregation repaired to the stream, where 
he was buried in the baptismal grave, arising to 
walk in "newness of life." He has often since 
been heard to say : " If the house had been full, I 
would, doubtless, have gone as I came ; but, the 
preaching being personal, I could not resist it." 
Dr. Belding was engaged in a meeting in 
Ravenna, O., when, in response to the gospel 
invitation, a lady confessed her faith in Christ. 
Her husband left the house in a rage. When 
the wife returned to her home, he met her at the 
door, and, in a most profane and abusive manner, 
forbade her going to the church again. On Mon 
day morning he was so angry that he left home 
for his school (he was a teacher) without his- 
breakfast. His wife was very unhappy until 
Wednesday, near the middle of the day, when, 
on looking out the window, she saw him coming 
home. On arriving at the house, he asked her to 
come to the door where he had met her on that 



6o BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

previous evening. Making an humble apology, 
he asked her to forgive him, saying that if she 
would go with him, he, too, would confess his 
Savior. This he did, and they were forthwith 
baptized. 

It is better sometimes to move people even to 
anger than to have them remain in a state of 
indifference. Many cases bear witness to this. 

While an invitation hymn was being sung at 
Pompey Hill, N. Y. , the leader of the music 
beinor an unbeliever, the doctor asked that the 
singing cease for a moment. He inquired if 
there were not persons in the room who were 
singing sentiments that they did not believe. The 
leader, Mr. Ellis, threw down his book, took his 
hat and left the house, looking mad enough to 
fight. He told his wife that he would never 
enter the church again. 

Two years or more passed. The doctor was 
holding a meeting at Cato, Cayuga Co., N. Y. 
Mrs. Ellis, of Pompey, came into the house. At 
the close of the services, the doctor inquired after 
the welfare of herself and family. She burst 
into tears, and, after she had controlled her feel- 
ings sufficiently, related to him the story concern- 
ing her husband, as above stated. The doctor, 
who was accustomed to looking on the bright 
side of the picture, said: "Do not grieve, for 
I intend going to Pompey when this meeting 
is over." 

The time came, and the meeting in Pompey 
was in progress. Mr. Ellis brought his family to 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 6 1 

church and took them home. As the people were 
getting into their carriages after service, the doc- 
tor heard Mr. Ellis asking Bro, Joseph Garrett 
and wife to go home to dine with them. The 
doctor said to himself: " Now is my time." 
Stepping up to Mrs. Ellis, he said: "I think I 
will take dinner with you to-day." She re- 
sponded: "I wish you would." Dr. Belding 
stepped into the carriage with Bro. Garrett's peo- 
ple, and they arrived at the house a little in 
advance of the family. When Mr. Ellis drove 
up, the doctor, in a very jovial manner, came 
forward, and, reaching out his hand, said : " How 
do you do, Bro. Ellis?" - 

Mr. Ellis extended his hand rather reluctantly, 
and, in a reserved manner, said: "How are 
you?" The doctor continued: "I don't know 
that you can put up with such fare as we have 
here, but we would like to have you come in and 
take some dinner with us." "All right," said 
Mr. Ellis. The doctor went to the barn, assisted 
in putting up the horses, looked over the farm, 
went to the house and took dinner. After a good 
social time, as the hour for evening meeting drew 
nigh, he said to Mr. Ellis : " Come, hitch up that 
nice team and take us to church. We can not 
afford to walk with such good horses standing 
idle." To this he readily consented. The doc- 
tor sat beside him on the way to church, and 
said : " Hitch your horses under the shed and go 
to meeting with us." He made no reply, but 
the doctor repeated the invitation more earnestly, 



6, 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. \V. A. BELDING. 



when Mr. Ellis reluctantl}^ said: "I will think 
of it." The friends aliijhted and entered the 
house. Presently, to the astonishment of all, Mr. 
Ellis came in. The next evening found him in 
attendance, and the third day witnessed what his 
friends had long desired, but had never dared 
hope for — the confession of his confidence in 
Christ. 

After his baptism and change of raiment, the 
doctor addressed him : " Weil, Bro. Robert, how 
do you feel?'' His answer was: "I feel good, 
and not much as I did two years ago, when I 
angrily left the church." He added: "Now I 
am thankful for the merited rebuke. It w^as t/nif 
which saved me." 

Another incident of a similar nature occurred 
in Chardon, Geauga Co., O. An interesting 
meeting was in progress. The congregation was 
singing the hymn of invitation, when, suddenly, 
the doctor called out, " Please stop singing," 
and asked: " Which is the worse — to tcII a false- 
hood or to sing- it? " One of the leading singers, 
a daughter of the resident pastor, drew her veil 
over her face, stepped across the aisle, and dropped 
into her seat. With a deep sigh the pastor, Bro. 
Collins, exclaimed: " Oh, dear!" Bro. Collins 
and the doctor were singing from the same book. 
The doctor replied: "Bro. Collins, don't be 
alarmed, for I think I know Lizzie well, and 
I do not believe I have missed the mark.J' He 
was right, for in a day or two Lizzie was obedient 
to her Savior. 



CHAPTER XV. 

During the years of Dr. Belding's stay in 
Shalersville, he was called to fill an appointment 
of Calvin Smith's in Austintown, O., from which 
Bro Smith was detained by sickness. The meet- 
ing had continued but a short time when the 
brethren of the church came, and, in great dis- 
tress, begged of the doctor that he would give 
no invitation for "backsliders" to return to the 
church. They feared that a man, who in former 
years had been excluded from the church for his 
continued litigation and contention with a fellow- 
townsman, might ask for admission. The two 
men could never meet without exchanging angry 
words, and two or three times had come to blows. 
All felt certain that, if he returned, the church 
must have trouble with him, and would, no doubt, 
be again compelled to withdraw the hand of fel- 
lowship from him. 

He and his avowed enemy were in the house 
at every service, but as far removed from each 
other as they well could be. The doctor, who 
declares that by nature he is cowardly, studied 
carefully to avoid all suggestions that might be 
■construed into an invitation for the wanderer to 
return to the fold, and really failed to do his duty. 
Upon one occasion, when speaking of the power 
of the gospel to make the warmest friends of bit- 
terest enemies — able even to turn ' ' a raven to a 
dove, a lion to a lamb " — he mustered up courage, 
afte'r breathing an earnest prayer for help, to do 
(63) 



64 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

his duty. He asked: "Are there not several 
present who have known the joy arising from the 
assurance of sins forgiven by obedience to Christ, 
and the hope of eternal life — who have wandered 
from their Father's house and feel like returning? 
If so, let them come." No sooner was the oppor- 
tunity offered than the wanderer came to the 
front. At the same moment the other man ap- 
peared, coming from the opposite side of the 
house. Consternation filled the hearts of the 
congregation, and especially that of the doctor, 
who felt that a collision was inevitable, and that 
the contentious parties would break up the meet- 
ing with an excited row. But great was the 
relief when the two men, who for many years 
had been at swords' points, met as friends, throw- 
ing their arms around each other, and, each with 
his head resting on the other's shoulder, with 
tears of penitence confessed his faults, each asking 
the forgiveness of the other, of the congregation, 
and of God. 

This was one of the most touching scenes of 
the kind that Dr. Belding has ever witnessed, 
and one of the most convincing evidences of the 
power of the gospel of Christ over the hearts and 
lives of men. 

"How sweet the name of Jesus sounds 
In a believer's ear; 
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, 
And drives away his fear. 

"It makes the wounded spirit whole, 

And calms the troubled breast; 
'Tis manna to the hungry soul, 
And to the weary rest." 



CHAPTER XVI. 

On the twentieth day of August, 1855, in com- 
pany with his brother Edwin and two friends, 
Harmon Lake and Wallace Hunt (the latter of 
Auburn, N. Y.), the doctor left home for the 
West. The boys, Edwin and his companions, 
had with them ten horses, which they designed 
selling in Chicago, if not successful in disposing 
of them before reaching that place. Mrs. Belding 
accompanied the doctor, but was to leave the 
party at the then celebrated "water cure" at 
Berlin, O. On the second day, towards evening, 
the party arrived at Berlin, where Mrs. Belding 
remained, while the rest of the party pushed on. 
During the third day the doctor traded his black 
team for a gold watch, and traveled with the rest 
of his party to Maumee City, where they paused 
to inspect old Fort Meigs. They found some 
relics of battle, among which were several human 
teeth. Hastily leaving Maumee Cit}-, where over 
half of the people were sick — it being a very 
unhealthy place — they advanced, stopping occa- 
sionall}^ to call on an acquaintance. The doctor 
preached nearly every evening. 

They passed through Hillsdale, Cold water, 
Bronson, White Pigeon and Elkhart, to South 
Bend, Ind., which they reached on the 31st of 
August. The 4th of September found them in 
Chicago This was the doctor's first sight of 
that now tremendous and unrivaled city, and 
he described it as " no city at all ; very rough, 
(65) 



66 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. ^V. A. BELDING. 

uneven, unpaved, a malarial place of a few thou- 
sand people, and in no way attractive or prom- 
ising." 

A sister in Austintown, O., after supporting 
herself and an invalid mother for a number of 
years by her needle, left fifty-one dollars and a 
few cents in the hands of Brethren Joseph Karl 
and Joseph Kyle, with the request that they 
should use it to the best of their judgment to 
pay for preaching the gospel. Dr. Belding went 
to a place near New Castle, Pa., called Pump- 
kintown, where he preached ten days, and was 
paid one dollar per day from this fund. 

He has said that he scarcely ever felt the in- 
spiration to preach that he felt there, as if a voice 
from the grave was constantly urging him to 
make known to his fellowmen the wondrous love 
of God. Three other churches were then brought 
into existence by that small, but liberal, donation. 

The year 1855 was spent almost entirely in 
holding meetings and soliciting funds for the 
General Missionary Convention. A meeting held 
by the doctor at South Butler, N. Y., resulted in 
the immersion of sixty-seven persons. 

From South Butler he went to New York City, 
where he remained but a few days, immersing 
nineteen. We find him next at Danbury, Conn., 
tarrying at the home of Bro. E. A. Mallory (a 
long-tried friend) , and holding a meeting in the 
Danbury Church. The result of this effort was 
the adding of between fifty and sixty to the mem- 
bership. 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 67 

The last evening of the meeting, after closing 
the church and upon returning home in company 
with Bro. Mallory and wife, they found awaiting 
them two young ladies, employes of Bro. Mallory. 
They had been steadily attending the meetings, 
and were now crying and sobbing because the 
meeting was past, and they had not found cour- 
age to confess their belief in Christ. A service 
was held then and there, for their dear sakes, in 
which they confessed their Savior, and stated 
their desire to be immersed. It was then between 
twelve and one o'clock at night, and the doctor 
was to leave the town early in the morning. 
Arousing a few of the brethren who lived near 
by, the party started for a neighboring stream. 
Before they had gone many rods, a large distillery 
began to burn fiercely, and afforded them ample 
light for the ceremony. 

During all this time his home was in Shaler- 
ville. But, in 1856, he sold his remaining interest 
in the farm to a brother-in-law of Edwin's, Elwood 
Hamilton, and moved to Mentor, Lake Co., O., 
early in 1857. 

At a yearly meeting held in Randolph, Portage 
County, in June, 1852, he had the pleasure of 
baptizing Rufus E., at that time his only son, 
aged eleven years, in the stream in which he was 
himself immersed some years before. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

Soon after moving to Mentor, the doctor bought 
a place ot^ about ten acres in the center of the 
township, and within sight of the Garfield resi- 
dence, which has since made Mentor known to 
the nation. While engaged in holding a meeting 
at Bedford, O. , soon after he had moved his 
family to Mentor, an incident occurred. During 
the singing of a song of invitation. Dr. J. P. 
Robinson, who was extremely anxious for the 
salvation of his only sister, approached her, and 
kindly said: " Come, go with us, and we will do 
you good." She shook her head, and he returned 
to his place near the pulpit. Not feeling satisfied, 
he went to her again, but with the same result. 
Still the brother could not feel content, and re- 
turned the third time, -pleading with her to yield 
to the invitation of the loving Savior, but again 
she refused. The meeting closed, and, soon after, 
the young lady was taken suddenly ill, and drew 
rapidly near the end of life. Calling her brother 
to her bedside, she said : "You came to me once, 
twice, three times, and urged me to confess my 
faith in Christ, and I as stubbornly refused your 
loving opportunity. Why did you not conic a gain f 
I meant in my heart to yield, but vou did not 
come, and I was left — 3*es, left to die without 
hope." " Go into the highways and hedges, and 
compel them to come in," said our blessed Savior. 

Being called to Bainbridge, O., to spend a few 
days, he was invited to preach in the Congrega- 
(68) 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 69 

tional Church. The invitation was accepted. 
During the series of discourses which he gave, 
there was one of his hearers — a lady from New 
York — who became deeply impressed with the 
truth of what she heard. She sent the doctor a 
note, asking him to call on her, expressing a 
desire to converse with him privately. He 
promptly complied with her request, and found 
her an intelligent and conscientious woman, a 
member of the M. E. Church. She said she was 
troubled about her baptism, concerning which she 
had never had a doubt until she heard the few 
discourses delivered by him, one of which was a 
discussion of the subject, "A Penitent Believer/' 

After asking a number of questions, which were 
answered to her satisfaction, she asked if he 
would baptize her, and allow her to retain her 
membership iu the M. E. Church, and added: 
*' There is no other where I live, and I do not 
know as I would join one if there was." To 
this question the doctor answered: ^'I will bap- 
tize you with the understanding that you will 
follow the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ and 
the apostles. If they make of you a Methodist, 
he one; if a Presbyterian, he one; if a Baptist, 
or even a Mormon, he one. In short, go where 
the Bible leads you, and he what the Bible makes 
you." To this the lady replied : " I resolved many 
years ago to do all the Savior asks of me as fast 
as I can learn my duty." Upon a confession of 
her faith in Christ she was immersed. 

A few weeks later the doctor was called to 



70 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

attend a funeral in the same town. The lady was 
present, and at the close of the services she 
approached the doctor, requesting a letter or 
certificate of her baptism, at the same time stating 
that she was going to spend the winter in Cin- 
cinnati, and would like to spend it with the 
'* Church of Christ." The doctor said, smilingly : 
"You will doubtless find a Methodist church 
there also." She quickly responded: "I have 
learned too intich to be a Methodist, and prefer 
to be simply and only a Christian." The letter 
was, of course, granted. 

The saving of Him who spake as never man 
spake, "Except a man love me more than all 
else, he can not be my disciple," is sometimes 
put to the test. A single instance will illustrate. 
Dr. Belding was called to attend the funeral of 
one whom he supposed to be a stranger. But, 
upon entering the house and looking upon the 
face of the sleeper, he at once recognized it as a 
familiar one, and one having a sad, but interest- 
ing, history. 

Many years before, while Bro. William Hayden 
was preaching at Royalton, O., a young lady 
was most forcibly impressed with his clear and 
touching presentation of the simple " story of the 
cross." Her father was an infidel, while the 
mother and all the members of her family were 
scoffers at the Christian religion ; nevertheless, 
her interest increased and her convictions deep- 
ened. Her father told her emphatically that if 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 7 1 

she joined that despised little company, she could 
no longer have a home with him. 

After calm and serious reflection, and most 
earnest prayer, she decided to follow Christ. She 
was immersed by Bro. Hayden, and went from 
the stream to her father's home, only to be denied 
admittance. She turned away, and though for 
eighteen long years she lived within ten miles of 
her childhood home, yet she spoke to but one 
member of her family, and never was allowed to 
enter the old home during that time. None of 
her relatives were present at her funeral — to see 
her carried to her resting-place. Her closing 
hour was peaceful, and when her eyes were grow- 
ing dim with death's approach, she said to those 
around her : " I am going to see the loving Savior, 
for whom I have forsaken all." Jesus verified to 
her his promise here, and will no doubt do so as 
fully in the new Jerusalem. '''He is truthful^''' 
''' he is faithful ;''^ "he gives homes and friends 
an hundred-fold." 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

In 1849, during the annual meeting being held 
at Russell, Geauga Co., O., a few brethren were- 
called together in the house of Bro Lattin Soule 
to consult with reference to the propriety of build- 
ing a school for the education of their children — 
not only in the sciences, but also in the Bible. 
We will give the doctor's connection with this 
work in his own language. 

" I was present at that meeting, and when the 
plan was agreed upon and the deternjination made 
to go ahead with the work, I was selected as its 
financial and general agent. The raising of the 
sum needed for such an enterprise seemed like a 
great undertaking for a people so weak financially 
and so few in numbers. But I succeeded in 
raising the first twenty-five thousand dollars con- 
tributed to lay the foundation of the Western 
Reserve Eclectic Institute, which has since grown 
into the well-known and reputable educational 
institution called Hiram College. 

"I am now (1897) the only person living who 
was present at that preliminary meeting. I natu- 
rally feel proud of the work there inaugurated 
and so prosperously carried on. God's blessing 
has attended it from the first, and many noble 
men and women have gone forth from its halls 
who have honored the institution, and aided to 
fill the world with the knowledge and spirit there 
impressed upon them. Among those best known 
to the American people was James A. Garfield, a 
(72) 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. \V. A. BELDING. 73: 

graduate from, and afterwards the president of, 
the college. May it long continue to prosper, 
and when those who so generously contributed to 
its support shall be gathered to their fathers, 
and rest from their labors, may their work still 
continue, that future generations may call themi 
blessed." 

In this work, and in his labor for the mission- 
ary society of Ohio, he gained the reputation of 
being a ''^successful begga}','^ as he himself has 
expressed it. 

While engaged in these works, he often found- 
persons who expressed the wish to donate to the 
object for which he was soliciting, but who plead- 
the excuse that they had no money ; but if the3r 
could sell such a piece of property — a horse, ai 
cow or a piece of land — they would do so. 

The doctor was always ready for such emer- 
gencies, and would propose to take the property 
and pay to the institute its value. Upon one 
occasion, he visited a man from whom, it was- 
said, nothing could be [obtained. In the midst 
of harvest, when work was pressing hard, the 
doctor called early in the morning and found the 
family at breakfast with a number of hired men.. 
Being invited, he took breakfast with them. 
When, rising from the table, the brother re- 
marked, " You must excuse me, for my work is 
pressing," he replied: "The Master's work is 
always pressing, and I am in a hurry, too." He- 
made known the object of his visit, and asked 
for the modest sum of one hundred dollars. To^ 



74 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W . A. BELDING. 

this request the miserly brother replied quickly 
and rather excitedly, "I am so much in debt 
that I can not give you one hundred ceats," and 
he started for the harvest field. The doctor called 
Tiim back, and kindly entreated him to give him 
a promise for the amount, but he insisted that he 
could not afford it. 

The doctor knew that, like many others, before 
lie had one farm paid for he would buy another, 
keeping always in debt, and thus always having 
that as an excuse for not giving. He finally sat 
down, and, in the course of the conversation that 
ensued, told the doctor what liabilities he had 
outstanding. After much persuasion, he gave his 
note for the amount asked for, due one 3'ear after 
his last obligation was due. This he did as much 
to get rid of his visitor as from any other motive. 
It was collected from his estate, as he died before 
it became due. The doctor's comment on the 
:above, as found in his diary, is slightly humorous. 
It stands: " The Lord loveth the cheerful giver." 



CHAPTER XIX. 

In 1856, Bro. Garrett, of Pompey, N. Y., had 

a little money, which he desired to devote to the 

Master's cause. Fifty dollars of this money he 

handed to the doctor to assist some young man 

in preparing for the ministry. After keeping it 

for some time without finding a place where it 

seemed needed, he at length gave to C. C. Foote 

fifteen dollars, with which to buy an overcoat. 

Soon after, the doctor wrote Bro. Garrett that he 

had thirty-five dollars in his pocket, and asked 

what disposition he desired made of that amount. 

To this Bro. Garrett replied: "Go and preach 
it out." 

The place selected was Wellington, a town in 

Ohio, between Cleveland and Columbus. After 
repeated efi'orts to obtain a house to preach in, 
a certain Mr. Tripp (a man of the world) came 
to the doctor and said: " I have a carriage shop, 
which I will heat and light ; there you can preach 
as long as you wish." The invitation was ac- 
cepted and the meeting began. The novelty of 
the place attracted the people, and from the first 
the attendance was good. Converts were made, 
and soon a congregation was formed amid much 
sectarian prejudice and opposition, which became 
so manifest that the sympathies of "outsiders" 
were aroused, and a subscription was started. 
Soon the building of a house of worship was 
commenced and ultimately finished, owing largely 
to the assistance rendered by non-professing 
citizens. 
(75) 



76 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. \V. A. BELDING. 

When Bro. Garrett was informed of what had 
been accomplished, he said: "Thank God! I 
have fifty dollars more to spend in the same way." 

During the same year Dr. Belding was preach- 
ing at Madison, Lake Co., O., when an invita- 
tion was given him to speak in the Presbyterian 
Church upon the subject, "Christian Union." 
This he consented to do on the following Lord's- 
day evening. The house was crowded, and the 
congregation so much interested and pleased with 
the manner in which the subject was presented that 
one of the officers in the church arose and asked 
the speaker if he would not speak to them again. 
The doctor replied that he would be pleased to 
do so, providing he was assured that his hands 
should not be tied, nor his tongue padlocked. 
The man who made the request rose again to his 
feet, and responded : " We would like to have 
you preach here every evening until we request 
you to stop." He called upon three others of the 
trustees, all of whom expressed themselves in 
favor of continuing the meeting. The pastor of 
the church objected in quite a spirited speech, 
but the trustees prevailed, and the meeting 
went on. 

A number of persons declared that they had 
learned the way of the Lord more perfectly, and 
were determined to walk in it. They were bap- 
tized into Christ, ignoring their former " baptism" 
while unbelieving infants. 



CHAPTER XX. 

The meeting at South Butier, N. Y., to which 
reference has been made, had in it several items 
of interest. A number of invitations had been 
given the doctor to visit that congregation, each 
of which he refused w^ithout giving any reason 
for the refusal. A committee was finally sent to 
Auburn. They succeeded in getting his consent 
to assist them in a meeting when his labors were 
ended in Auburn. 

The time arrived, and he was on hand. The 
first week the time w^as spent in trying to arouse 
the spirituality of the church, which was at a very 
low ebb. On Saturday afternoon, while one of 
the elders was speaking, another spoke out ex- 
citedly : " If you believe that^ you don't believe 
the Bible." 

When he sat down the doctor arose and said : 
*'This gives me a good opportunity to say what 
I have had on my mind ever since I came here. 
The reason I refused to come here was that I 
had heard of you as a congregation of intelligent 
Disciples, full of discussion and possessing very 
little spirituality. And what have you accom- 
plished? It is evident that you have a good 
knowledge of the letter of the lazv of Christ, but 
have failed to catch the spirit of its author, and 
by your oft-repeated discussions have driven away 
(if you ever had it) the Spirit of the Master. 
You have failed to observe the injunction of Paul, 
' Speak the truth in love,' until you are driving 



y8 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

your own children and your neighbors' children 
out of the church. Let us see! Bro. Lowell, 
your pastor, has not a member of his famil}^ save 
himself and wife, in the church. It has often 
been said to me : ' Elder Lowell is a man of 
splendid talent, but no religion.' Elders Dratt 
and Johnson have children who should have be- 
come members long ago. The members of Elder 
Laing's [another preacher] household are in the 
same condition. Brethren, you are not blind and 
can see this. Bro. Lowell has done one -part 
of his w^ork well, in fulfilling the old saying: 
' Like priest, like people.' He has filled them 
with the spirit of ' dispute.' " 

Bro. Lowell w^as sitting by and weeping like a 
child. When the opportunity occurred, he arose 
and said : " I have always supposed it was our 
duty to contend earnestly for the faith once de- 
livered to the saints, but I see now that the 
manner in which I have done so has been wrong." 
He was followed by a number of others, who, 
like their pastor, confessed that they had been 
wrong when they supposed they were right. Such 
a breaking down of spirit is not often witnessed. 
On the last morning of the meeting, twentj'-two 
were baptized — among them Dr. Sweeting, a 
Methodist class leader. In all, sixty-seven were 
added to the church, and the vitality of the con- 
gregation was greatly improved. 

A number of years later, the doctor assisted in 
holding another meeting at South Butler, where 
he baptized one hundred and sixty-seven persons. 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 79- 

During this meeting, he was called upon to attend 
the funeral of a young Bro. Hibbard, who was a 
devoted Christian and a teacher in the Sunday- 
school. After the funeral services and during 
the Sunday-school, the doctor was called upon to 
make a few remarks. During a short speech, he 
suggested that there were at least one hundred 
young persons in that school who ought to confess- 
their Savior. This thought stimulated the breth- 
ren and the doctor. The meeting was continued, 
and, in less than three weeks, the one hundred 
spoken of were added to the church. Among 
those added was a beautiful girl of thirteen, the 
youngest among the new converts and an only 
child. She was of an affectionate disposition. 
At the social meeting, in which a great number 
took part, she said that for many days she had 
desired to obey her Savior, but she had wanted 
papa and mamma to go with her. As they would 
not, she had gone alone. But, turning toward 
her father and mother, who were present, she 
said: " How I wish that they would now accept 
Christ as their Savior, and be as happy as I am."^ 
They both arose, and she led them forward, amid 
the common rejoicing and tears. "And a little 
child shall lead them.'' 

At the close of the meeting in South Butler,, 
the doctor was invited by a Congregational min- 
ister to go to Savannah (four miles distant) to 
help hold a meeting. The doctor was inclined 
to accept the invitation, but did not feel like 



So BIOGRAPHY OF DR. \\^ A. BELDING. 

-compromising in any way the truth of our plea. 
He insisted that he should be allowed perfect 
freedom to speak the truth, as he understood it, 
from God's word. '"That," said the preacher, 
"is what I want you to do." Accordingly, the 
meeting was commenced at once. The congre- 
gation grew in numbers and the interest increased, 
until sinners began to inquire, "What shall we 
do to be saved?" The doctor, turning to the 
preacher, who was sitting beside him in the pul- 
pit, said: " Bro. P , what shall I tell these 

convicted inquirers?" Bro. P , himself ap- 
parently deeply moved, said: "Bro. Belding, did 
I not tell you to preach the truth?" "Yes." 
" Well, then do so." The doctor thereupon gave 
them the same answer that Peter gave to the peo- 
ple on Pentecost (Acts ii. 38) : "Repent, and be 
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus 
Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall 
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the prom- 
ise is unto you, and to your children, and to all 
that are afar oft', even as many as the Lord our 
God shall call." 

In response to an invitation which followed, a 
number of the old members of the church re- 
sponded, and, encouraged by their pastor /o live 
lip io their convictions ^ they were immersed into 
Christ Jesus. At the close of his labors, the pas- 
tor arose, and, in a very feeling manner, said : 
"I am sorry Dr. Belding is to leave us, for I 
Jiave been deeply interested, encouraged and in- 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 8 1 

structed." After the meeting closed, and they 
had retired to the pastor's study, the doctor said : 

*' Bro. P , / am sorry that I am going to 

leave, for I would like to stay long enough to 
baptize you and the rest of your congregation." 

*'That you would do," responded Bro. P , 

" if all doubts on the subject were removed." 
A few months after this pleasant interview, Mr. 

P was called very suddenly from his labors — 

falling dead in his pulpit on a Lord's-day morning. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

Mrs. Belding was an invalid almost from the 
time of her marriage. The first eighteen months 
of their married life she was sick, and, though 
better at times, was unable to walk a step for 
fourteen years. During nine 3^ears of this time, 
the doctor used a crutch or a cane to assist his 
own steps ; but he finally recovered the use of his 
limb, although ever since compelled to wear an 
elastic stocking. 

His beloved wife, of whom he took the most 
tender care, finally died of nervous fever, at 
Mentor, O , November 25, i860. The following 
extracts from the doctor's diary for i860 speak 
with a pathos that shows the strong afi:ection of 
the man for his family : 

Sept. 29. — But little sleep ; Myra sick all night. 
Oct. I. — Still very sick. I was confined at home 

all day. 
Oct. 5. — A little better ; Rufus at home. 
Oct. II. — M3'ra no better that I can see. Drs. 

Rosa and Stebbins say that she is doing well, 

but I do not believe it. 
Oct. 18. — At home all day. Dr. Rosa here ; 

Myra no better. 
Nov. I. — Myra no better ; sick five weeks to-day. 
Nov. 3. — Myra failing ; Rufus at home. 
Nov. 7. — Meeting of the Missionary Board at 

Bedford. Could not leave Myra to attend. 

Went to bed the first time in six weeks. 

Nov. 8. — Sent Rufus to Painesville for Dr. 
Stockton. 
(82) 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 83 

Nov. 12. — Myra no better. Bro. A. S. Hayden 
and wife came to see us, and spent the night. 

Nov. 13. — Myra had a very sick day. 

Nov. 15. — Myra very sick and vomiting. Sister 
Lucy Clapp and Mrs. Shoemaker took care of 
her all night. I have taken care of her, until 
this time, for seven w^eeks. Dr. Stebbins and 
Dr. Storm came to see her to-day. They say 
that she must starve to death. (Terrible to 
think of!) 

Nov. 17. — Myra failing; suffering beyond any- 
thing I ever witnessed. Her mind as clear as 
a cloudless sky. Happy in the love of God 
and the bright hope of heaven. Says: "Tell 
all my friends that my feet are on the Rock." 

Nov. 18. — Myra but just alive. Twice this morn- 
ing she requested me to go and preach to the 
people, saying: "Give them my dying love; 
tell them to examine well the ground of their 
hope. I am happy, for I am almost home." 
A very hard day for me. 

Nov. 19. — Myra very low. A number of calls 
to see her. 

Nov. 23. — Myra very low. It does not seem as 
though she could stay another day. Suffering 
much, but calm and very quiet. 

Nov. 24. — Myra had a very sick night ; talked 
much ; had not a doubt as to her future bliss. 
Bade us good-by ; had a sinking turn, but 
revived. Could not talk plainly ; was much 
distressed for breath. 



84 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

Nov. 25. — At home by the bedside of our dear 
Myra, until she died at 10:45 A.M. Felt a 
calmness and quiet when she breathed her last 
that I had not felt for weeks during her suffer- 
ing, which was most severe. 

Nov. 27. — Funeral at i P.M. Bro. A. S. Hayden 
preached, by request, from i Cor. xv. and 2 
Cor. v. Selected hymns: "Rock of Ages," 
"Why Should We Mourn?" "Departed 
Friends," and "Asleep in Jesus." 



The following obituary was written by a life- 
long friend : 

" Died, on Lord's-day, the 25th of November, 
i860, of nervous fever, Mrs. Myra E. Belding, 
consort of Dr. W. A. Belding, of Mentor, O. ; 
aged 47 years, i month and 22 days. 

" Long and gradual has been her descent of 
the hill of life. For a period of twenty-four years 
she has been the subject of severe afflictions, and 
some fourteen years of that time she was so ex- 
tremely feeble as not to be able to walk or to 
stand on her feet. Much of the time, so extreme 
was her frailty that cradled innocence was scarcely 
more helpless. Yet no murmur escaped her 
uncomplaining lips. Remarkably patient and 
hopeful throughout her protracted debility, she 
manifested a resignation, and even cheerfulness, 
that commanded the admiration of all who enjoyed 
an acquaintance with her. No pain or depression 
from an illness so tedious and discouraging ever 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 85 

disturbed for an hour the equanimity of her feel- 
ings — as balmy and genial as a morning in May. 
Having chosen in early life the Savior as her 
portion and her hope, she maintained a highly 
consistent profession of the gospel, v^^hich shed 
the radiance of its brightest hopes over her spirit 
as she verged on the confines of eternity. 

* ' Along with her calmness of spirit there was 
associated a Christian benevolence untiring in its 
assiduities for the welfare of all around her. 
Often, when so feeble as to be unable to lift her 
head from her pillow, she urged her husband to 
fill his appointments, willing to suffer any priva- 
tion that the salvation of the people might be 
promoted. Even the last Lord's-day of her stay 
on earth she said to him : ' Go to your appoint- 
ment to-day ; you may be the means of saving 
some poor sinner. Give the church my dying 
message of love. Exhort all to look well to the 
ground of their hope, and tell them I am happy ; 
that my feet are on the rock. The Lord will 
sustain me till you return.' 

*' She grieved lest she might ever have said 
anything to discourage him in the work of carry- 
ing the gospel to the dying world. 

' ' As might be expected from such a spirit and 
such a life, her last sickness, of two months' con- 
tinuance, was crowded with evidences, which 
grew brighter and more frequent to its close, of 
a most peaceful and even exultant departure to 
the rest that remains for the people of God." 

(Signed) A. S. Hayden. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

The work of establishing a nucleus in Syracuse 
and erecting a church is told in the doctor's own 
language. The writer simply verified the dates 
from diaries, covering the years during which he 
labored there. 

" In the fall of 1862, while residing at Mentor, 
O., I received a letter from Sister Wealthy Ann 
Allen, of Auburn, N. Y. , asking me to visit her, 
at her expense, in the interest of the Master's 
cause. 

" I accepted the invitation, and arranged to 
comply at once with her request. The facts, as 
related by Sister Allen and as recorded in my 
diary, are these : 

" In her girlhood days, while she was engaged 
in teaching in the then small city of Syracuse, 
she picked up a leaf or two of a monthly pam- 
phlet, which she afterward learned was called the 
* Millennial Harbinger.' Upon these torn and 
dirty leaves she found a sentiment expressed 
which arrested her attention, and in a manner 
that led her to take it to her pastor for an ex- 
planation. 

" After looking at it for a moment, he said, 
with much earnestness : ' That is rank Campbell- 
ism, and will ruin you, soul and bod}^, for time 
and for eternity. Have nothing to do with it.' 

" She found out by him where and by whom it 
was published, and wrote for it the same day. In 
about eighteen months she was asked to renounce 
(86) 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 87 

the sentiment imbibed, or submit to an exclusion 
from the fellowship of the church on the charge 
of heresy. She preferred the latter, for the rea- 
son that her convictions would not permit her to 
accept the former. Accordingly, she was ex- 
cluded. She then and there resolved that if 
spared, and if the Lord permitted means to come 
into her possession, the primitive gospel should 
be preached in Syracuse. 

" She further informed me that an uncle of 
hers, now deceased, had left her seven hundred 
dollars. Three hundred of this she gave me, 
wishing me to hire a hall and begin work at 
once. 

" This I did, and January 21, 1863, I preached 
my first discourse in the City Hall. After thor- 
oughly advertising, we succeeded in getting 
together fourteen hearers, but I find recorded in 
my diary, in addition to the above, the following : 
Jan. 24. — The beginning is small, but the Lord's 
blessing upon our labors will cause it to be suc- 
cessful. We hope to continue until the truth 
shall win its way, and the Church of Christ 
be firmly established here. 
Jan. 24. — Preached three times in the City Hall 
to-day. Interest increasing, and the opposition 
also. Twice the number that were present one 
week ago. 
Jan. 30. — Great reason for encouragement in at- 
tendance and inter^^st. 

" A number of persons wishing to be immersed, 
I asked for the use of a baptistery belonging to a 



88 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

certain religious body in the city. They called 
together the Board of Trustees, and, after a full 
and free discussion of the subject, passed the fol- 
lowing resolutions, to-wit : 

" 'Whereas, Dr. Belding has asked for the use 
of our baptistery, in which to baptize some con- 
verts, we feel compelled to refuse him for this 
reason : the nearer a counterfeit is to the genuine, 
the more dangerous.' 

" A Dr. Ray came to me at once, and asked 
if I had been refused the use of the baptistery. I 
replied in the affirmative. He then said : ' I have 
a large number of dressing-rooms attached to my 
bathing-park, and, although I belong to the big 
church, I like fair play. You are welcome to 
the use of as man^^ of those rooms as you wish, 
and as often as you wish. They will be warmed 
for you free of charge.' We accepted his kind 
and generous invitation, and used it many times 
until we had a baptistery of our own. 

"The papers several times refused to publish 
notices of our meetings. At length I was so 
much annoyed by them that I wrote a request 
for one of the editors, as follows : ' The prayers 
of this union meeting are most earnestly requested 
for the editor of one of our daily papers — that 
his heart may be opened, so that he will consent 
to publish the religious notices of a feeble church, 
which is trying to honor God and bless the world.' 

" With this notice in my pocket, I started for 
the meeting, with a firm resolution to present it. 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 89 

But, meeting one of the local editors, I read him 
the request, and told him my determination. He 
begged of me not to do it, and said that anything 
I wished published, if I would bring it to him, 
should be done. From that time we had no fur- 
ther trouble. 

-Feb. 8. — I preached in the morning, and, after 
baptizing nine persons upon a profession of 
their faith in Christ, we took the preliminary 
steps toward an organization. Thirty-five per- 
sons who had given themselves to the Lord now 
pledged themselves one to another to accept 
the teachings of Christ and the apostles as their 
guide of life, discarding all humanly formulated 
creeds and man-given titles. Sister Allen, from 
Auburn, being present with us, spoke many 
pleasant and encouraging words, and closed by 
saying, in a very feeling manner : ' It is the 
happiest day of my life. Now, Lord, let thou 
thy servant depart in peace, for I have seen thy 
salvation.' 

' ' She then pledged two hundred dollars tow^ards 
the erection of the building in which we are gath- 
ered this evening, and which was the first sub- 
scription made. 

Feb. 15. — Preached twice. Received nine into 
the fellowship of the church and baptized two. 
Hall well filled, with a good representation 
from the religious community and the world. 
May 10. — Baptized three. The interest not abated 
in the least. 



90 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

Nov. 22. — We meet to-day for the first time in 
the Courthouse, and are much pleased with the 
change from the City Hall. Things are looking 
hopeful, and yet the papers refuse us a fair 
representation, even when paid for publishing 
notices of our meetings and work. 

'* From this time until June 17, we continued 
to meet in the Courthouse, with a fair attendance 
and frequent additions. On June 19, 1864, the 
new church building was formally opened, Bro. 
D. S. Burnett preaching a very appropriate dedi- 
catory discourse In the evening services were 
held, and three persons confessed their faith in 
Christ. 

June 19. — Met on this the first Lord's-day in the 
new church building. Bro. Burnett preached, 
and I baptized eight persons, making eighteen 
since the opening of the house. 

June 25. — Meeting again this evening ; three bap- 
tisms and four other confessions. 

June 26. — Closed the meeting this evening, with 
thirty-one added to the church. 

July 3. — Several added to the church to-day. 
Organized a Sunday-school and Bible class, 
with about thirty in each. 

Aug. 28, 1864. — This closes my engagement in 
this church, which was organized with thirty- 
five members, and now numbers one hundred 
and three. A house has been built costing 
fifteen thousand dollars, of which twelve thou- 
sand are paid. 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 9I 

' ' I continued my work with the congregation 
until some. time in 1865, when I resigned my 
position, and was followed by Bro. A. N. Gilbert, 
the membership having increased to one hundred 
and twenty-eight. My labors closed with the 
consciousness that I never had a more earnest 
and faithful company of helpers than I left in 
Syracuse. I parted from them with strong at- 
tachments. 

"The resolutions passed and the presents re- 
ceived have been kept, and the memory of them 
cherished most tenderly, even to this day. They 
will be a source of comfort to myself and family 
while memory retains its sway. I mi^ht speak 
with tender feeling and deepest emotion of indi- 
vidual co-laborers, some of whom still linger, 
while others are on the other shore, awaiting 
the reunion of the family in the mansions prepared 
by the Elder Brother, where there will be no 
parting. In conclusion, let me say that if the 
present membership, with its experience and added 
facilities for carrying on the work of the Lord 
in the years to come, be as faithful as the older 
members were during the same number of years 
now past, the city of Syracuse will not long be 
left with a single organization, but with a number 
of them. When the reunion of all who have par- 
ticipated in this grand work shall take place, may 
I be among the happy throng." 

W. A. Belding. 

Troy, N. Y., May 28, 1891. 



92 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 



Copy of Testimonials presented to the doctor 

by the church at syracuse, n. y., at the 

Close of His Labors There. 

'To Bro. W. A, Belding: — In behalf of the 
church of Syracuse, I wish to say that we desire 
on this occasion to acknowledge our [indebtedness 
to you for the great work that has been achieved 
here, by the blessing of God, through your in- 
strumentality. 

Words fail to express the emotion of our hearts 
and the gratitude we feel for the untiring devotion 
with which you have labored among us. We owe 
our existence as a church to your labors. Many 
of us, had it not been for the word of life which 
you have preached so faithfully, would have been 
at this time without hope and without God in the 
world. Thanks to his holy name, in his provi- 
dence he saw fit to send you here to preach the 
unsearchable riches of Christ. We would further 
say that, like the apostle to the Gentiles, you 
' ' have not shunned to declare all the counsel 
of God." 

While we acknowledge our indebtedness to you, 
we feel that it is not in our power to recompense 
you ; but you shall be recompensed at the resur- 
rection of the just. Although we have the promise 
of a hundred-fold in this life, yet we are told that 
we have but a foretaste — ''an earnest of the in- 
heritance prepared for the saints in light." 

The relations you have sustained to us, and the 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 93 

faithfulness with which you have discharged the 
obligations which that relationship imposed, have 
made an impression on our hearts which time will 
hardly eradicate. 

We have no desire to forget you, neither would 
we be forgotten by you. Therefore we have 
thought best to present you these vessels [a silver 
pitcher and goblets] as a token of remembrance 
and a slight appreciation of what you have done 
for us. J- C. HuTCHiNGS, Committee. 

August 30, 1864. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

The next work which occupied the doctor's 
attention for any great length of time was the 
building of a church at Troy, X^. Y. But several 
important events must be sketched before we fol- 
low him to Troy. 

In 1862, his son, Rufus E., was married to 
Martha A. Seymour, of Meridian, Cayuga Co., 
N. Y. Two days later (January 8) the doctor 
was himself again married ; this time to Miss 
Emil}^ Sherman, who lived at Pittstown, about 
twelve miles northeast of Troy. She was one of 
a family of eight, having four sisters and two 
brothers. The sisters — Sarah, Asenath, Amanda 
and Mary — have all been helpful to the work in 
Eastern New York, contributing most liberally to 
all necessary funds. 

Mrs. Belding, owing to the doctor's migrating 
life, has mostly always made her home at Pitts- 
town. Together thev managed the large and fine 
farm known as the " Sherman girls ' " farm — 
known far and wide as the seat of the most gen- 
erous hospitality and of an overflowing abundance, 
which it was the delight of the sisters to share 
with their numerous guests. It was the Mecca 
of the writer's boyhood days. I looked forward 
to spending a portion of each vacation there with 
keen anticipation of the welcome always given, 
and of the lavish table that appealed so strongly 
to my appetite. Mrs. Belding's last sister, Mary, 
died March 12, 1897. The farm spoken of is 
(94) 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 95 

now managed by Mrs. Belding and her son, 
Sherman W. 

Such was the family into which the doctor 
married, and a most happy marriage it proved, 
though differing from the home life enjoyed by 
others. During the time that intervened between 
his work at Syracuse and that at Troy, he made 
a flying trip to Chicago to hold a meeting. There 
was quite a little organization at Chicago, which 
met in the Opera-house on Clark Street. 

The doctor preached on Sunday morning and 
evening in the Opera-house, and on the week days 
at the homes of some of the brethren. 

One evening he asked the members present 
why they did not own a house in which to wor- 
ship. The reply was : " We are not able." The 
doctor answered: " If I were to say that of you, 
you would resent it. If you will take hold, I'll 
see what we can do towards raising a fund for 
building." Several agreed to do what the}^ could, 
though doubtful of the result. 

The next morning he went into the office of 
Dr. Major, then a wealthy physician, whose office 
was in the Opera-house. Seating himself at a 
desk. Dr. Belding drew up a subscription for a 
church edifice, and, handing it to Dr. Major, 
said: "Is that all right ? " After reading it, he 
replied: "Yes." " Then sign it." A moment's 
deliberation, and Dr. Major's signature for one 
thousand dollars headed the list. As the doctor 
did not pick up the book, or look as though 



96 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

he were pleased, Bro. Major inquired: ** What 
is the matter? What did you expect? " 

The doctor responded: '* If we are men, let's 
be men — not boys. You ought to give five thou- 
sand dollars at least, and as much more as you 
can afford." After a few moments' conversation, 
the sum subscribed was changed to five thousand. 

Next the doctor took the book to the office of 
Bro. Honore (the father of Mrs. Potter Palmer). 
He looked at the subscription of Dr. Major, and 
simply ejaculating "My gracious!" put down 
his own name for a similar amount. 

Within ten days the list footed seventeen thou- 
sand dollars, and the house of the Lutherans on 
Randolph Street was purchased. For this four- 
teen thousand dollars was paid, while one thou- 
sand was expended in remodeling it. 

The congregation then oflfered the doctor a 
salary of twenty-five hundred dollars to preach for 
them one year. But he replied : "I have prom- 
ised the Lord that, if spared, I would do a certain 
work in Troy ; I must be about it." 

He went to Troy soon after, and labored to 
organize the church at that place. He succeeded 
in building them an edifice costing twenty-one 
thousand dollars, for which labor he received his 
compensation of five hundred dollars per annum 
from the Missionary Society of New York State. 

Troy is the county-seat of Rensselaer County, 
N. Y., on the east bank of the Hudson River,, 
and, on account of its location between the hills, 
which rise somewhat abruptly on that side of the 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 97 

river, its greatest length is from north to south, 
parallel to the river. It was a manufacturing city 
of considerable importance, promising at one time 
to become the center of the iron industries of this 
country. But the invention of a process that 
utilized the magnetic ores changed this prospect 
and ruined the iron manufactories already built. 
The business ol stove manufacturing in Troy was 
at one time the largest in the world, but strikes 
and labor unions caused those interested to move 
to other places, and Cleveland, Detroit and vari- 
ous small Western towns profited by Troy's loss. 
Shirt and collar making has increased, however^ 
and Troy leads all places in these lines. There 
is no other place in New York State where girls 
and women have the opportunities for self-support 
afforded by this city. 

The surrounding country is hilly, and contains 
some of the best farming land of the State. 

We have already spoken of Pittstown, the home 
of Mrs. Belding. Three miles from this home 
is the village of Pittstown Corners, a mere 
"cross-roads," with blacksmith's shop, one or 
two stores, and possibly one hundred inhabitants. 
But that little village had a Disciple church long 
before Troy did, and at one time had the strong- 
est organization in the State. 

In the year 1865, Bro. William B. Mooklar, of 
Covington, Ky., sent to the doctor two young 
men and the sum of seven hundred dollars, with 
the message : " Use this and these for the good 
of the cause." The doctor had become interested 



98 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

in the work of the little band at Troy, N. Y., 
and, dividing this money, he sent one of the 
young preachers to Buffalo, N. Y., and the other, 
Bro. J. Z. Taylor, to Troy. 

As the doctor was connected with the Troy 
Church for the ensuing ten years, we w^ill sketch 
briefly its record up to the time that his own 
efforts commence. 

As far back as 1844, an organization existed 
in Troy under charge of four elders, who alter- 
nated in preaching the Word. The names of but 
two of these leaders are now known — Elder Ager 
and Elder Read. The congregation met in the 
upper story of a frame building at the corner of 
River and King Streets, where is now located 
one of Troy's most prominent banks. 

The little band lost in number, and was twice 
reorganized — the second time having but three or 
four of the original members among those com- 
prising the new organization. Soon after this 
reorganization. Dr. Belding became interested in 
the work, and sent Bro. J. Z. Taylor to hold a 
meeting for them. This meeting was held in the 
Young Men's Association Hall on First Street, 
over the old post-office. This hall would seat 
twelve hundred people, and was consequently 
much too large for the little band and the few 
friends they could gather together. In spite of 
this, a good meeting was held. But, for some 
reason, Bro. Taylor could not stay, and Dr. Beld- 
ing sent D. R. Van Buskirk to continue the work. 

Bro. Van Buskirk commenced in August or 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 99 

September, 1865, and remained two months. 
During his stay, Dr. Belding made one of his 
unexpected trips, and, arriving in Troy in the 
afternoon a short time before the time for meet- 
ing, he went to the building. Before he had 
time to make himself known, he was accosted by 
a little daughter of Captain Rhodes, who said: 
*' We are having some very interesting meetings 
upstairs ; wouldn't you like to go up? " *' I don't 
know but I will," responded the doctor. He 
gravely went up with her, to be warmly welcomed 
as an old and needed friend. The doctor spoke 
of this incident, and promised the brethren that 
if they would have the cause as closely at heart 
as that young girl, they would soon have a church 
building to meet in. 

At this time — besides the church at Pittstown 
Corners, already spoken of — there were congre- 
gations at Eagle Mills and Poestenkill, both small 
towns, four to eight miles east of Troy. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

The Troy membership numbered eighteen, and 
at the close of D. R. Van Buskirk's efforts, in 
November, the doctor began to look for some 
smaller place in which to worship. Finally, about 
May, 1866, he secured Agricultural Hall, at the 
corner of Ferry and First Streets, where they 
worshiped for some time. 

June 2, a legal notice having been given, the 
members of the church of Christ met at their 
place of worship. The pastor, Dr. W. A. Beld- 
ing, presiding, Cornelius Van Schaick and John 
C. Welch were selected as judges of election, and 
three trustees were elected: Joseph H. Rhodes, 
for the term of three years ; Jeremiah Washburn 
for two years, and James B. Thomas for one year. 

A document was drawn up in proper form, for 
record in the county of Rensselaer, containing the 
names of trustees and adopting the name, Church 
of Christ of Troy, N. Y., '* which name it is to 
be forever called." Thus was the foundation 
laid, legally and in good order. A nucleus of 
eighteen members was formed to accomplish what 
the citizens of Troy universally said could not 
be done ; /. c, the building of another church. 

The newspapers resented the sending of a mis- 
sionary to Troy. They for some time kept up a 
fusillade of sarcasm that was more annoying than 
harmful. The doctor finally wrote and had pub- 
lished an article in which he stated that Troy cer- 
(100) 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. lOI 

tainly needed missionaries, for some of the inhab- 
itants acted like heathens. 

The doctor promptly opened a subscription- 
book for purchasing a lot on which to build a 
house of worship. The sum of five thousand, 
three hundred and twenty-one dollars was sub- 
scribed within a short time, and the selection of a 
lot located suitably for church purposes occupied 
his attention. Troy had been through a terrible 
fire only a short time before (1862), and there 
were then many vacant lots formerly occupied by 
buildings. The southwest corner of Seventh and 
Fulton Streets w^as selected and purchased. 

The old subscription-book lies before us as we 
write, and is headed with the names of W. A. 
Belding, Mrs. W. A. Belding and Asenath and 
Sarah Sherman. 

In the records of the many different enterprises 
in which the doctor was engaged we find him not 
content to devote time and energy to the work, 
but he was liberal with his money. Almost in- 
variably his name would head the list and the 
names of his famil}^ or of his wife's sisters would 
appear next. 

Subscriptions were now taken for the erection 
of a building, and w^ere due and payable when the 
walls were up ready for the roof. 

The first subscription for the purchase of a lot 
was made June 9, 1866, and the date of the first 
meeting in the church was 1868. This took place 
in the basement, the upper story not being com- 
pleted. But soon after the edifice was declared 



I02 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

complete, and it was announced that a total of 
twenty-one thousand dollars had been spent and 
that a debt of three thousand dollars remained. 
This may seem a high price for the Troy prop- 
erty, but this was soon after the war, and materials 
and labor were very expensive. 

In 1883 this building was sold to the Lutherans 
for twelve thousand five hundred dollars, and the 
congregation built the one now occupied at the 
corner of River and Jay Streets. 

It must not be supposed that during these years 
the doctor had been constantly in Troy. Scarcely 
a week went by without a drive to Pittstown. He 
owned a horse and carriage which he kept for 
that trip alone. Meetings were held at Amster- 
dam and elsewhere, and his financial work for 
the missionary societies was kept up. 

In 1870, at his solicitation, his son Rufus, with 
his wife and family (composed of two sons, War- 
ren S. and Paul W.), moved from Syracuse to 
Troy. The doctor, soon after, purchased a home, 
in which they still reside (1897). The doctor 
had now two homes, and alternated between them 
according to the promptings of his restless nature. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

The church of Christ in Brooklyn is the out- 
growth of a movement made by a number of 
honest, conscientious, Bible-loving Baptists, to 
escape from the bonds of sectarianism, under the 
lead of their pastor, Mr. J. Bradford Cleaver, 
whom the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church had tried 
and found guilty of the heinous crime of having 
declared that he would baptize a young lady upon 
a confession of her faith in Christ, without sub- 
mitting her rights in the premises to any church. 

A considerable number left that organization 
with him and they established a "Gospel Church," 
upon a declaration of their belief in the sufficiency 
of the Bible alone as a rule of faith. 

Mr. Cleaver had not received a theological edu- 
cation, consequently he had little to unlearn. 
But, having been trained for the bar, and being 
successful in the practice of law, he had acquired 
the habits of analysis. Looking upon the Bible 
as a book of statutes, instead of a repository of 
texts to sustain preconceived theories, before he 
was aware of the fact he found himself in the 
ranks of the Disciples of Christ, manfully battling 
for the faith delivered to the saints. When ap- 
prised of his position and the logical result, he did 
not draw back, but continued to search the Scrip- 
tures. Having learned to "rightly divide the 
word," he became more and more impressed 
with the beauty and simplicity of the plan of 
human redemption, as revealed in the King's 
(103) 



I04 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. ^V . A. BELDING. 

statute-book, and brought to light by those whom 
the world calls "Campbellites." 

Some of those who followed him into the 
"Gospel Church," not having moral courage suffi- 
cient to sustain them under such insolent epi- 
thets, drew back and returned to sectarianism. 

In August, 1875, while spending his vacation 
in Troy, Mr. Cleaver was invited to speak for 
the church there. This he did with such satisfac- 
tion to the members assembled that he was in- 
duced to remain there until February, 1877. Dur- 
ing his ministry in Troy some one hundred and 
twenty-nine were added to their number. 

After Mr. Cleaver left Brooklyn, meetings were 
continued in the chapel on Lincoln Place until 
about the middle of November, 1875, at which 
time, by a vote of its members, the "Gospel 
Church" was disbanded and in its stead they 
organized a church of Christ. 

They chose Dr. Beldisg as pastor and he labored 
there until October i, 1S76. His efforts to raise 
money to build or buy a church were, as usual, 
successful. In this work he was warmly seconded 
by Brethren G. B. Farrington, C. C. Martin and 
others. The result was that they bought a house 
of the Methodists. This was on Sterling Place, 
well located and beautifully constructed, having 
originally cost fifty-seven thousand dollars. For 
this house they paid twelve thousand dollars and 
assumed a mortgage of six thousand. 

In 1876 the doctor resigned his pastorate for 
the reason that he had resolved, early in his min- 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. \V. A. BELDING. IO5 

isterial life, that he would never have it said of 
him : " He is too old to preach." 

The age he fixed upon as that in which to close 
his settled pastoral work was sixty years. That 
time had now arrived, and since that day he has 
had no time engagements with any church. He 
has remained for months preaching for one 
church, but the engagement has been considered 
as from week to week. The church prospered 
steadily, though under the care of several pas- 
tors who remained but a short time each. At 
the conclusion of the engagement of Bro. J. 
Z. Tyler, who had been located with them for 
two years, a call was given to Bro. C. B. Edgar, 
of Kentucky. He was delayed by sickness, and 
the doctor was asked to preach during this inter- 
val. He responded, and for six months preached 
regularly, receiving for compensation forty dol- 
lars a week. 

Nothing was ever said by him or to him regard- 
ing salary while in Brooklyn ; but during his first 
stay the clerk had handed him fifteen dollars 
every Sunday evening, this being doubtless all 
they could then afford. 

The change from a little band of about thirty, 
with no home, to a fine building and increased 
membership, was very encouraging. From that 
time the organization has continually prospered. 

Greenpoint Mission occupied the time and en- 
ergies of the doctor for one year. It was an out- 
lying point of Brooklyn, between four and five 
miles from the Sterling Place church. The neigh- 



Io6 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

borhood was full of churches and was sparsely 
settled, while the people were poor. The mis- 
sion was started by the Sterling Place congrega- 
tion and assisted somewhat by the New York 
Missionary Society. They numbered about twenty 
and met in a store-room, having no organization 
whatever. But, when left by the doctor, they 
numbered nearly one hundred, met in a house of 
their own that had cost fifteen hundred dollars, 
and were thoroughly organized. 

This work was very trying to the doctor. 
While at Greenpoint he lost flesh and was half 
sick most of the time. He describes it as a great 
deal of work with very little results. Many 
pledges were found uncollectable, and there was 
little effort made to pay him anything for his 
time and labor ; but with dogged perseverance he 
put them on their feet and left them prosperous 
and out of debt. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

In the winter of 1877, Dr. Belding received a 
joint letter written by Ovid Butler and O. A. 
Burgess and asking him to come over to Indian- 
apolis. He went and found present the sub- 
scribers to a fund (then small) to establish an in- 
stitute in the South for the education of the col- 
ored race. 

Officers were elected and the doctor was re- 
quested to assume the responsibility of raising the 
necessary funds. He replied: "I am under 
obligations to the Missionary Society, but will 
divide my time between their work and yours, if 
you wish." It was so agreed, and he com- 
menced a work that has always had for him a 
great attraction. It resulted in the establishing of 
a school which has given instruction to over six 
thousand colored pupils of both sexes, who would 
probably have gone through life in complete men- 
tal and moral ignorance, had it not been for this 
work. 

A school was started in two dilapidated school 
buildings in Jackson, Miss. „ These structures 
were owned by the Quakers, who gave free use 
of them. Bro. R. Faurot and wife taught there 
while a permanent place was being decided upon, 

April 27, 1882, the doctor called on Mr. T. I. 
Martin, of Louisville, Ky. This gentleman owned 
a plantation of eight hundred acres at Edwards, 
Hinds Co., Miss. This plantation he held for 
sale at fifteen thousand dollars. But, after talk- 
do?) 



I08 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. \V . A. BELDING. 

ing with the doctor and learning the use for 
which he desired it, he said that he would do- 
nate one-half of the amount, making the cost 
to the society seven thousand dollars. A bar- 
gain was concluded on that basis, the doc- 
tor entering into a contract making him per- 
sonally responsible for the payment of that sum. 
July 5, the deed was given and (including what 
had been paid at the drawing up of the contract) 
the sum of four thousand dollars was paid, and 
a trust deed to secure the remainingr three thou- 
sand dollars, due in one, two and three years, w^as 
given . 

The doctor says of Mr. Martin: *'He was my 
ideal of a business man — liberal, unsuspicious, but 
business-like." 

This plantation is declared to be equal to an 
endowment fund of thirty thousand dollars. It 
has been, to a great extent, the support of the 
institution, pupils paying for their tuition by an 
hour's labor, daily, during the school term. 

The school was moved from Jackson to the 
plantation, which was named Mount Beulah. 
Bro Faurot died in October, about three months 
after the purchase of the plantation. The inter- 
ests of the school staggered under the blow. The 
doctor was telegraphed for. He came, and, in 
the work that he found it necessary to do, he be- 
came ill. For several weeks he was confined to 
his bed with a slow fever. This was a natural 
result of the change of climate, as he is peculiarly 
susceptible to hot weather, always suffering in 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. ^V. A. BELDING. IO9 

health during the heated spells of summer. He 
was most kindly cared for and has often expressed 
his appreciation of the attention he received. 
Upon his recovery he set earnestly to work to 
supply the place left vacant by the death of Bro. 
Faurot. 

An arrangement was finally entered into with 
Bro. Jeptha Hobbs, of Kentucky, to take the 
presidency of the Institute. This he did about 
the last of the year (1882), the contract being for 
five years. The terms were that he was to run 
the school and pay all expenses himself, for 
which he received the use of the farm. All cash 
contributed to the work (now known as the South- 
ern Christian Institute) was to be devoted to per- 
manent improvements ; all other donations were to 
be for his own use. He faithfully carried out his 
contract, and the school and plantation both pros- 
pered under his management. 

In the appendix will be found a description of 
the plantation written by a correspondent of the 
New York Herald and published in that paper in 
1883 ; also, an abstract of the origin, aims and 
purposes of the Institute, as given in their pros- 
pectus of 1887. 

Towards the last of 1887, Dr. Belding closed 
his connection with the Institute. Several thou- 
sand dollars were due him, for which he took 
various notes, most of which were payable after 
the death of the makers. These notes had been 
obtained by him for the Institute and were, of 
course, rather uncertain assets. He also turned 



no BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

over to the General Missionary Society (which 
assumed the work) between seventy-five and 
eighty shares of the stock, w^hich cost him fifty 
dollars per share. 

It has been the same in every work in which 
he has been engaged — he took what compensation 
was offered, and then helped liberally, with no 
thought of his own needs. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

In July, 1883, a call to " come and aid us in 
San Francisco" was heard and heeded by the 
doctor. Leaving, temporarily, the work of the 
Southern Christian Institute, in which he was 
then engaged, he started for California, where he 
labored until March 29, 1884. This trip is one of 
which the memories are very pleasant, and good 
v^ere the results of his work while there. A lot 
was purchased and paid for, and a balance of 
nearly three thousand dollars remained in the 
treasury. (Total, about nine thousand five hun- 
dred dollars.) 

On the last evening of his stay, a farewell re- 
ception was tendered him, and he was the recipient 
of a fine gold-mounted cane, having engraved on 
its head, " To Dr. W. A. Belding, by San Fran- 
cisco friends." 

In a letter written from Dallas, Tex., soon 
after, the doctor says : *' I have been caned at 
home and in private, but never publicly before. 
But 'twas kindly done, and tears were in my 
eyes and also in the eyes of most of those assem- 
bled. Oh, these meetings and partings of friends 
— especially the partings." F. W. Pattee took 
charge of the San Francisco congregation, and the 
farewell to the doctor served as a welcome to him 
and his wife. 

The trip east was by way of Los Angeles and 
the Southern Pacific Railroad, with a stop over 
Lord's Day at Dallas, Tex., and a few days at 
(III) 



112 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

Mt. Beulah, where he found the school flourish- 
ing. The month of May finds him at Pittstown 
with wife and son. 

Englewood, then a suburb of Chicago, was the 
scene of his laborsNin 1887. In July of that year, 
he undertook to build a house for a little band 
who met on Sixty-third Street in a rented store. 
During a stay of six months, he bought a lot, 
built, furnished and paid for a house, and inter- 
ested the Chicago churches in, and formed, a city 
board of missions. This board is composed of 
two members chosen from each church organiza- 
tion within the city of Chicago, and additional 
members from congregations numbering over one 
hundred. The duty and object of the board was 
to select mission points, appoint persons to take 
charge of these missions, and look after their finan- 
cial support — in short, to increase the number of 
churches in Chicago. This board has not only 
helped establish the Englewood church, but has a 
North and a West Side mission, both progressing 
nicely. 

, In the appendix w^ill be found a copy of a testi- 
monial presented the doctor by this board, show- 
ing their appreciation of his efforts in the difficult 
work of raising money in Englewood. 

It will be remembered by the reader that he 
raised the money to purchase the first church of 
the Disciples in Chicago. Adding that to these 
later labors will explain why, of all cities, his wel- 
come is perhaps warmest in the '* city by the 
lake." 



BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. II3 

W. H. Rogers, in his Boston letter to the Mis- 
sionary Weekly (October, 1888), reporting the 
annual meeting at Worcester, speaks of the doctor 
in a way that evidences the feeling regarding him 
possessed by all who have known him and his 
work. It follows : 

" The Disciples of New England had their an- 
nual festival at Worcester from Friday, Septem- 
ber 28, until Monday, October i, closing with 
their highly prized farewell meeting, Monday 
morning. 

" Bro. W. A. Belding preached on Friday 
night and hastened to Brooklyn the next morn- 
ing. Bro. Belding is venerable according to the 
almanac only. In face, in spirit, in faith, in 
hope, and in cheerfulness, in energy as well as in 
general movements of the body, he is still in his 
prime. He is a sort of patron saint in the hearts 
of the Worcester brethren. In his Christian 
make-up he unites the rocky firmness of the olden 
time with the catholicity and growth of the mod- 
ern period. The older brethren trust him, while 
the younger brethren rejoice in him as their own. 
Few men among us have raised more money for 
religious, educational and benevolent purposes 
than he, and with his own hands he has buried 
some ten thousand believing penitents with their 
Lord in baptism. 

"The time was when he knew personally al- 
most every one of our preachers, and it is an evi- 
dence of our growth that now there are so many 
among us who have never seen his face." 



i 



114 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 

The doctor now lives at Pittstown with his wife 
and son, Sherman W., who also has a wife and 
two young sons. 

He preaches on Lord's Day for the little con- 
gregation at Pittstown Corners, and occasionally 
breaks the monotony by attending or holding a 
meeting elsewhere. A man of eight}'^ he still 
holds his faculties unimpaired, and his form is 
almost as straight as of yore. His endurance is 
somewhat lessened of late, but his hair remains 
dark, and his evesig-ht is better than it has been 
for years. He has discarded glasses altogether, 
and, were it not for a slight deafness, his friends 
could not see that time had touched him. 

Verily a sweet and pleasant journey on the 
downhill side of life is his, surrounded by his 
family, with no recent gaps in their little circle ; 
with the famih^ of his eldest son, Rufus, near 
him, at Troy, and hosts of friends and brethren 
glad to see him wherever he goes ; and with the 
proud consciousness that he has been of use in the 
world in the cause he espoused. 



APPENDIX. 



GENEALOGY OF BELDING FAMILY. 



Richard and William Bayldon (Brothers) Were Among 
THE Earliest Settlers of Wethersfield, Conn., 

1640. 



WILLIAM BAYLDON 

moved to Norwalk with family 

1646. 



Samuel, John, Mary, DANIEL, Susaunna, Nathaniel. 

b. 1648 



Nathaniel, Daniel, John, SAMUEL, Richard, John, William, and seven daughters. 

b. 1687 



Samuel. 
b. 1729 



Daniel, John, 
b. 1754 



Alfred, Amos, Allen, RUFUS, Sears, 
b. 1778 d. 1854 



Ruth, Charlotte, Martha, Anson, Edwin C, WARREN ASA, Alvin, Sabin, Louisa. 

b. 1816 



Rufus E. and five who died young (by first wife). Sherman W. (by second wife) 

u .Q*T h. 1868 

b. 1841 , 

'^jjZ^^^^^^?2iu\ W., Louis K., Anson W. Victor L., Leroy S. 

b. 1862 b. 1868 b. 1876 b. 1881 b. 1895 b. March 5, 1897 

Myra E. 
b. 1884 



A TROY CHAPLAIN PRAYS FOR THE 

LOBBY. 

[From the Troy "Times."] 

Rev. Dr. Belding, of this city, offered prayer in 
the Assembly on Friday last. The correspondent 
of the New York Times says of him : 

* 'Among the chaplains who are in the habit of 
alternately offering prayer in this Legislature, 
Rev. Dr. Belding, of Troy, appears most clearly 
to comprehend the situation, and to direct his 
petitions to a quarter where they are most needed. 
He seldom comes down here to officiate as chap- 
lain, but, when he does, he hits the nail on the 
head every time. In opening the Assembly this 
morning he prayed, among other things, that 
* the men who are in the habit of loitering about 
the halls of the Legislature with bribery in their 
hands might be induced to see the error of their 
ways, and that their wicked designs, if they had 
any, might be thwarted.' There was no response 
to this appeal either from members or lobbyists, 
but the people from the State at large will no 
doubt second the petition of Rev. Dr. Belding." 
(117) 



PIONEER PREACHERS. 

The recent death of J.J. Moss has called my 
attention again to the rapidly vanishing number 
of Disciple preachers who were well known and 
active on the Western Reserve. Amon^ these J. 
J. Moss was one of the earliest and one of the 
strongest. My father heard him preach for the 
first time in Randolph, Portage County, in August 
of the year 1832. At this meeting W. A. Beld- 
ing, whose name should appear in the list of the 
preachers fairl}^ called pioneers, was baptized. 

Bro. Belding baptized me. I made the first 
exhortation I ever tried to make, at a meeting in 
North Royalton, where he was preaching, and 
his name for me is written large in the honored 
list of the pioneers. Bro. Belding has baptized 
more than ten thousand persons, and has been in 
the ministry almost sixty years. J. M. Monroe, 
in his brief notice of his uncle, J. J. Moss, speaks 
of J. H. Jones as the only survivor of the pioneer 
preachers of the Western Reserve. But there 
still lives W. A. Belding, who is nearly eighty 
years of age ; Wm. Moody, hale and hearty at 
eighty-five ; P. Green, who will soon enter his 
eighty-fifth 3'ear, and J. H. Jones. In regard to 
Bro. Moss, it w^as m}?- privilege on his eightieth 
birthday to make, in behalf of many friends, an 
address congratulating him on his having reached 
the age of fourscore. He was a sturdy disciple 
of the Lord. His ambition to extend the kingdom 
of Christ was as restless as that of Alexander of 
(118) 



APPE><DIX. 119 

Macedon, and his courage in facing every enemy 
of the truth was equal to that of Julius Csesar. 

It will not be long before the last of those 
glorious men will be known only in the memories 
that remain and never die. May we, their sons 
and grandsons, be as faithful to our generations 
as they were to theirs. F. M. Green. 

Wilmington, O., June 22, 1895. 



TESTIMONIAL TO DR. W. A. BELDING. 

City board of Christian Missions, 
Chicago, January 9, ii 



Whereas, Our beloved brother, Dr. W. A. 
Belding, did, at the earnest and combined solici- 
tation of this Board and the congregation of 
disciples in Englewood, undertake the laborious 
work of securing for said congregation a house 
ot worship ; and. 

Whereas, This undertaking has involved on 
the part of our brother a protracted absence of 
months from his distant home and family ; and, 

Whereas, His endeavors have been crowned 
with abundant and marked success, wherein we 
do greatly rejoice and pay humble tribute to the 
God of all grace ; therefore be it 

Resolved, That not only do we desire to place 
on record our entire approval and satisfaction 
with his work, but that our heartfelt thanks and 
grateful appreciation be hereby tendered him for 
the unselfish devotion he has exhibited in this 
enterprise, and for the sacrifice he has made in 
order to its accomplishment. 

Be it further resolved. That a copy of these 
resolutions be furnished Bro. Belding. 

H. H. Hubbard, ) p 
W. P. Keeler, \ 
(120) 



SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN INSTITUTE. 

[From the New York "Herald."] 

The name of Hinds County, Miss., is historic 
in connection with the riots of 1876, wherein the 
colored voters were driven to the swamps. It is 
one of the centers of black population. Twenty 
years ago General Grant had crossed the Missis- 
sippi below Vicksburg, moved on eastward, and 
many a soldier still remembers the battle of Cham- 
pion Hills. Nearly three thousand men were 
buried on the field. The enemy fell back toward 
Big Black River. At McGee farm the struggle 
was sharp, and there shot and shell have been 
thrown from the ditches dug to drain the cotton 
fields, now cultivated by the free labor of black 
men, who, after that, were made Union soldiers. 

A great plantation house stood on a beautiful 
eminence overlooking the Vicksburg road and 
the Black River. In the front was a wide lawn 
and on the east a garden of flowers, while in the 
rear southward was a cotton-gin and rows of 
negro cabins. It was known as the Cook plan- 
tation of two thousand acres or more. The owner 
mustered his slaves, and the cotton grew in fields 
miles away toward sunset along the Black River. 
The woman of the mansion commanded its halls, 
and there are tales of tying the negroes to the 
shade trees, and in the strength of her own arm 
lashing them with the whip. How swift came 
the retribution I Call it providence, call it fate, 
(121) ' 



122 APPENDIX. 

call it what you may. Cannon balls fell close on 
that house. A water pond near by w^as drained, 
and in its mire a solid shot had lain these twenty 
years. The soldiers bivouacked in the w^oods 
southw^est. Names and dates cut in the trees in 
1861-63 still show plainly. 

The mansion w^as used for a hospital. The 
spring by the river bank gave water to friend and 
foe. The plantation was stripped and its owmer 
gone The railroad bridge at the river was de- 
stroved, but Grant marched on. We all know 
the result of that march, and the siege w^hich 
follow^ed. 

The Southern Christian Institute has it in con- 
trol now' . Two hundred bo3'S and girls have been 
taught to study within its walls the past winter. 

If one is up at sunrise here, he finds the morn- 
ing light breaking over the little town of Ed-wards, 
on the east. It is a great cotton market. Near 
the mansion now occupied for the colored school 
is some trace of the grand garden of former days. 
A close line of cedar-trees parth" hides it on the 
east, and central through the ground from north 
to south are ridges thrown up for beds of flowers. 
On the north side all there is left to mark the 
fearful da3^s of the olden times is a single rose- 
tree, or rather a dense clump of the Cherokee 
rose, w^hich stands six to ten feet high, and covers 
a spot, say fifty feet square. It w^as covered 
with buds just ready for bloom, and in a few 
days would be one solid ball of white roses. We 
measured a square of the buds in sight, and 



APPENDIX. 123 

counted in order to estimate the bloom. It will 
blossom a half-million roses. From the delight- 
ful site of the mansion the plantation stretches 
westward away to the clumps of shade trees by 
the river. It reminds us of the Garfield farm at 
Mentor, and the railway cuts through from east 
to west going to Vicksburg. 

The Southern Christian Institute originated 
with Thomas Munnell and others in 1873. He 
was then secretar}^ of the General Christian Mis- 
sionary Convention. Through the labors of 
George Owen (white) and Levin Wood (col- 
ored) many freedmen in Mississippi became dis- 
ciples. Twenty or thirty churches were formed, 
or came in a body from the Baptists. To render 
this work permanent and effective, Munnell fore- 
saw there must be a class of preachers and Sun- 
day-school teachers much better educated than 
any those days furnished. To supplv this need, 
he projected the Southern Christian Institute. In 
connection with his general work, he made two 
trips to Mississippi about this time to push forward 
the work. 

By special act of the Legislature, he obtained 
a charter, drafted by Ovid Butler, of Indianapo- 
lis, approved March 5, 1875, authorizing an or- 
ganization on a stock basis of not less than ten 
thousand dollars in fifty-dollar shares, and ex- 
empting all property, both personal and real, to 
the amount of two hundred and fiftv thousand 
dollars, from all taxes whatever. 

Through the personal solicitations of George 



1 24 APPENDIX. 

Owen, Thomas Munnell and Dr. W. A. Belding, 
the minimum quantity of stock was taken. At 
Indianapolis, December 4, 1877, the company 
organized and elected trustees. Dr. Belding was 
made financial agent. 



SALVATION. 

" Wherefore he is able also to save to the uttermost them 
who come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make 
intercession for them" (Heb. vii. 25). 

The idea of salvation suggests danger. If 
there were no danger, there would be no need 
of salvation. Let us first inquire what the salva- 
tion referred to in the text involves. 

A salvation to the uttermost can mean nothing 
less than a salvation from everything which annoys 
or makes unhappy, and . these can be summed up 
in four things — sin, disease, death and the grave. 
Or, in other words, from the love of sin, the 
practice of sin, the guilt of sin and the conse- 
quences of sin. 

Of whom does the writer speak? Of Jesus of 
Nazareth, of whom the angel told his mother: 
"Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall 

save his people from their sins." 

The next question is, Is he able to do it? Go 
with me to the bedside of the paralytic, and hear 
Jesus saying to him, " Thy sins are all forgiven 
thee," and when he discovers among those gath- 
ered about, them who doubted as to his power to 
forgive sins, he says, '* Whether is it easier for 
me to say. Thy sins are all forgiven ; or to say. 
Arise, take up thy bed, and walk?" and that they 
might know that he had power on earth to for- 
give sins, he says to the sick man: "Arise, take 
up thy -bed, and walk." Thus he demonstrates 
his power over sin and disease. 
(125) 



126 APPENDIX. 

But, again, he meets the funeral procession, 
which he commands to stop. The}^ are bear- 
ing to the lonely grave the onl\^ son of a widowed 
mother. He calls him back to life and presents 
him to his mother living and well. 

Still again, w^e follow him to the grave of 
Lazarus. He stops and sheds tears of sympathy 
wath the weeping sisters, for the record says : 
"Jesus wept." Then, lifting up his heart and 
voice in solemn prayer to his Father in heaven, 
he says, " Father, hear rne ;" then, turning to the 
grave in which the dead man lay, speaks with a 
voice that not only penetrates the dark recesses 
of the tomb, but also the dull ear of the dead 
man, "Lazarus, come forth," and said to those 
weeping ones, "Unbind him, and let him go." 
He has now demonstrated his power over all the 
enemies of humanity which can afflict or make 
them unhappy in this w^orld or any other. 

Next w^e inquire, Is he willing? Yes, for he 
invites all who are weary and heavy laden to 
come unto him. John, in the Book of Revela- 
tion, says : " The Spirit and the bride say. Come. 
Let him that heareth say. Come. Let him that is 
athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the 
water of life freely." We have learned that he 
is both able and walling ; thank God. If now we 
can find out the conditions of this, the most 
precious gift of God to man, and find in our own 
hearts a willingness to accept the gift upon God's 
own terms, we are nigh the kingdom of God. 

We learn from Paul, in the same letter from 



APPENDIX. 127 

which we have selected our text, that Jesus, 
"although a son, learned obedience by the things 
which he suffered, and became the author of 
eternal salvation to those who obey him." Also, 
in closing up God's Book, we are told in language 
which can not be misunderstood that those who 
do his commandments are blessed, and shall be 
permitted to partake of the tree of life, and to 
enter through the gates into the city, the disobe- 
dient and wicked shut out. (Rev. xxii. 14, 15.) 
I now speak with reverence, and say that God 
can not save to the uttermost, or save from sin, 
without saving from its love, its practice, its guilt 
and its consequences, from the first three in this 
world and life, and from the fourth and last in 
the world and life to come. 

As the God of nature is the God of religion, 
and all blessings in the realm of nature are con- 
ditional, why is it unreasonable to suppose that 
all spiritual blessings are also conditional? The 
question is. How does he propose to save men 
from the love of sin? I answer unhesitatingly, by 
faith. Faith in what or whom? Not in a dogma, 
not in a church, but in a person — "Jesus the 
Christ as the Son of God, divine as well as 
human ; faith in him as the only Savior." " God 
so loved the world that he gave his only begotten 
Son, that whosoever belie veth in him might not 
perish, but have everlasting life." 

This faith begets such love in the heart that it 
destroys, or saves from, the love of -sin. No more 
can the love of God and the love of sin dwell 



128 APPENDIX. 

in the same heart at the same time than light 
and darkness in the same room. None can be 
saved from sin without being saved from its prac- 
tice. What is the condition? I speak the sen- 
timent of the Bible w^hen I say, repentance. 
* 'Except ye repent, 3^e shall all likewise perish," 
says Jesus. 

I have often asked, '* What is repentance ? " and 
nearly as often get the answer, "It is sorrow." 
But another says it is "godly sorrow," and that 
is not all, for Paul declares that "godly sorrow 
worketh repentance that needs not to be re- 
pented of" 

The Scriptural meaning- of repentance, then, is 
a sorrow for sin, a determination to forsake it, and 
that determination put in practice as the good 
Book teaches. "Let the wicked man forsake 
his way, and the unrighteous his thoughts ; return 
unto the Lord, who will have mercy, and unto 
our God, who will abundantly pardon." Who 
will deny that this repentance will save from the 
practice of sin? 

The next question, and a very important one, 
is, when a person is saved from the love of sin 
by faith and the practice by repentance, is he 
necessarily saved from its guilt? The answer is 
no. Permit me to illustrate. I do not offer this 
as proof, but simply to get the thought before 
the reader. Suppose you were dealing in goods, 
and my habit has been to purchase on credit ; I 
at once decide to buy no more on credit, and in 
the future pay for every article which I purchase. 



APPENDIX. 129 

This resolution is fully carried out ; does this can- 
cel or pay the debts of the past? If so, it might 
be an easy way of paying debts, but I think not 
very satisfactory to the one who holds the claim. 
Now, its application is readily discovered. Here 
is a man who has spent many years of his life 
in sin. In hearing or reading of the love of God 
manifested to man in the gift of his only Son 
to save a perishing world, his understanding is 
enlightened, his aifections captivated, he finds 
and acknowledges himself a sinner, and forms 
the resolution, I will try to be a better man. 
Now, suppose he could live and does without 
committing another sin during his whole life, 
what is to become of those he has committed? 
One of three things may be done : make an atone- 
ment (pay the debt), which, if he can do, no 
need of a Savior ; they may be forgiven, or stand 
upon the books against him forever. 

Thanks to our kind Father, who proposes to 
forgive, and he has told us in his word (Heb. 
ix. 22) that "without the shedding of blood there 
is no remission." He also assures us in the same 
connection that the blood of animals could not 
purge from sin ; nothing short of the blood of 
Christ could cleanse from its guilt. This is the 
sentiment of all who accept the sacrificial offering 
of Christ, but when and where and how this is 
applied is the question to which I would invite 
the reader's most careful and candid consideration. 
Let me ask the thoughtful, When was that blood 
shed? Was it not in his death, and more than 



130 APPENDIX. 

eighteen hundred years ago? Who, then, can 
expect a literal application of his blood? It is by 
faith the blood is sprinkled on the heart, but when 
and where? When we approach his death, and 
in the language of Paul (Rom. vi. 1-4) by being 
baptized into it, or, as Paul affirms (Heb. x. 22) : 
*' Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil con- 
science, and our bodies washed with pure water." 
Now the question may arise in the mind, With 
what is the heart sprinkled? Peter answers that 
question in his first letter: "Elect according to 
the foreknowledge of God the Father, through 
sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and 
sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ" (i Peter 

i. 2). 

As we have learned that the sinner is saved 
from the love of sin by faith, from the practice 
of sin by repentance, and from the guilt of sin by 
the blood of Christ, all this is in this life, and we 
now feel anxious to know how we can continue 
in this saved state, and enjoy the full fruition " or 
salvation to the uttermost " which God has prom- 
ised, for we are still exposed to and afflicted by 
the consequences of sin, which are disease, death 
and the grave. The good man dies ; the innocent 
and unconscious babe dies. If the Christian is 
overtaken in a fault, John tells us in his first let- 
ter (i John i. 9), writing to Christians: " If we 
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive 
us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unright- 
eousness." 

Thus we discover that prayers preceded by 



APPENDIX. 131 

faith, repentance and confession are the condi- 
tions upon which the believing, penitent and bap- 
tized person is promised forgiveness. When 
Simon the sorcerer had believed and was bap- 
tized, he committed sin in supposing "that the 
miraculous gift could be purchased with money, 
and Peter (Acts viii. 22) commands him to "re- 
pent, and pray God that the thoughts of his heart 
might be forgiven." Not for the forgiveness of 
all the sins of his life, for he had secured this by 
accepting Christ and complying (as he was 
taught) with the conditions which Jesus himself 
had commanded the apostles to proclaim (Mark 
xvi. 16), "He that believeth and is baptized 
shall be saved," and the record says Simon did 
believe and was baptized, and if the Savior's 
words were true, he was saved from past sins, 
and yet like all others in this life exposed to the 
consequences of sin, from which he must be saved 
in order to enjoy the full salvation, or that which 
is to the " uttermost." 

This third and last salvation is to be "worked 
out" as the apostle of Jesus exhorts in Phil. ii. 
12 — "work out your own salvation with fear 
and trembling," etc. We may therefore conclude 
that the conditions of this final salvation are secured 
by forming a Christian character. Hence Peter 
exhorts in his second letter (2 Peter i. 6-1 1). 
Add something to your faith. He evidently did 
not accept the doctrine of "justification by faith 
only," but believed additions were essential; 
faith being alone is dead. "Add to your faith 



132 APPENDIX. 

virtue [or courage] , to virtue knowledge, to 
knowledge temperance, to temperance patience, 
to patience brotherly kindness, and to brotherly 
kindness charity " (or love) . These make a per- 
fect character, and secure admission into the ever- 
lasting kingdom, for Peter says in the same 
passage : '^ If you do these things, you shall never 
fall, for so an entrance shall be ministered unto 
you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of 
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." This salva- 
tion is complete, " saved to the uttermost," saved 
from everything which can annoy or make un- 
happy, for in that kingdom nothing shall be pe«r- 
mitted to enter which can disturb the peace of its 
inhabitants. 

God shall wipe all tears from all faces, and 
banish sorrow from every heart ; permit his chil- 
dren to look upon his face without an intervening 
veil, and enjoy his smile forever. There with 
purified spirits and immortalized bodies, sin for- 
ever banished, saved from its love by our faith 
in Christ, from its practice by repentance, which 
results in reformation, from its guilt by the blood 
of Christ (applied by faith when we were bap- 
tized into his death) , and from its consequences 
by forming a Christian character. 

In conclusion let me ask, Who would not be a 
Christian? All which is in this world worth pos- 
sessing belongs to God's children, and all that 
the heart can desire is promised in the next. 
Paul, in Rom. viii. 32, asks: *' If he that spared 
not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all. 



APPENDIX. 133 

how shall he not with him freely give us all 
things?" Again he declares (i Cor. iii. 21-23) 
'*that all things are yours; whether Paul, or 
Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, 
or things present, or things to come ; all are yours ; 
and ye are Christ's ; and Christ is God's." Christ 
must reign until all enemies are put under his 
feet, and when all are subdued, even the last 
enemy conquered, which is death, then he will 
deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father, 
who shall be all in all. Christ's reign will end, 
and coming up the golden paved street in the 
city of our God followed by the blood-washed 
throng, he introduces them to his Father, saying : 
" Here, Father, am I, and the children whom 
thou hast given me." Reader, shall you and I 
be there? May the Father of all our mercies 
help us to be ready. 



CHRISTIAN UNION. 

SERMON BY DR. W. A. BELDING. 

["Church Union," May 27, 1876.J 

On the natal day of the world's Savior, the 
angelic choir sang an introductory hymn adapted 
to his mission: "Glory to God in the highest, 
peace on earth and good will to men." 

In the Savior's memorable prayer, recorded in 
the seventeenth chapter of John's testimony, he 
unburdens his almost bursting heart in these im- 
pressive words: " I pray not for these alone, but. 
for all them also who shall believe on me through 
their word, that they all ma}^ be one, as thou. 
Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also 
may be one in us, that the world may believe 
that thou hast sent me. " 

The oft-repeated sayings of those men whose 
lips were fired by God's own inspiration in their 
ministerial labors, give full evidence of their true 
devotion to the theme : " Mind the same thing" ; 
" Speak the same thing " ; " Be of one heart and 
of one mind"; "Mark them who cause divi- 
sions"; "While one says, I am of Paul, and 
another, I am of Apollos, you walk as men and 
are carnal." These are but the reiterations of 
the same sentiment sung by the heavenly choir as 
it left the plains of Bethlehem for its native home. 
These utterances were prompted by the same 
spirit which was breathed forth in the Savior's 
prayer, and which guided the heavenly messenger 
(134) 



APPENDIX. 135 

as he stood beside the loving John upon the Isle 
of Patmos, and uttered the last words to be re- 
vealed to men until the startling cry, " Behold, 
the bridegroom cometh," and pronounced that 
terrible denunciation against him who dares "to 
add to or take away from the words written in 
this book" (Rev. xxii. 18, 19). The religious 
world has been made to see, and to deplore 
deeply, the divided conditions of the so-called 
church ; an interest has been awakened in the 
hearts of thousands to search for " the old paths," 
together with a disposition to return to the primi- 
tive oneness of the church, established on the first 
Pentecost after the crucifixion of the world's Re- 
deemer. For this I thank God and take courage. 

While so many have discovered the necessity 
there is for a platform, broad enough and strong 
enough to hold and carry all the true and loving 
friends of Jesus, they have failed to see that God 
has provided such a one, and are themselves 
making every effort to erect one, which, like 
themselves, must be too contracted and too weak. 

Thus far, the religious world has advanced, 
and in the right direction. They have organized 
associations and called conventions — local and 
general, young men's and old men's, young 
women's and old women's Christian associations. 

When they come from their various religious 
homes to worship in these associations, they meet 
to worship the same God, to love and adore the 
same divine Savior, and enjoy the same blessed 
and divine Spirit ; but when they go out, it is to 



136 APPENDIX. 

labor with all their wonted zeal to build higher 
and stronger these partition walls which have so 
long kept apart the acknowledged children of the 
living God. And why all this? Let me tell it 
in the spirit of my Master, and may you, my dear 
brother, hear it ! 

When you go to the place where these associa- 
tions meet, you leave your " isms " at the door — 
would that the world could see them as you stack 
them in the vestibule — Presb^^terianism and Meth- 
odism, Baptistism and Episcopalianism, Luther- 
anism and Congregationalism, are all left to rest 
together quietly in the vestibule, whilst the owners 
of them are inside, engaged in peaceful worship, 
wishing the " heavenly meeting would ne'er break 
up, and the precious Sabbath never end." 

Stand at the door until the last sweet hymn is 
sung, *' Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in 
Christian love " ; wait until the last amen is said, 
" that the peace of God and fellowship of the 
Divine Spirit may go and abide with the parting 
ones forever." See the bustle and commotion 
now. As the passers-by go out, they return to 
their various churches, perhaps to worship the 
self-same hour, each eager to gather up the 
bundle which he brought, and fearful lest he 
might, perchance, lay his hand upon the package 
of another, less precious than his own. 

Oh, that each one could leave his party name 
and creed thus laid down, without which he has 
survived for a few hours, giving them to the devil, 
where they all belong ! Or, what would be better 



APPENDIX. 137 

Still, make of them a bonfire, that they may pass 
out of sight and forever be forgotten. 

Methinks if this were done, shrieks of despair 
would be the common wailing of the legions of 
the dark abode. There would be more joy among 
the heavenly host than even at creation's dawn, 
and the angel songsters would strike a still higher 
keynote upon their golden harps than when they 
sang the birth-song of God's only begotten and 
beloved Son. When this shall come to pass — 
and for it I will ever pray — "the solitary places 
shall be glad, and the deserts blossom as the 
rose." 

Then hallelujahs shall be shouted from ten thou- 
sand tongues which never lisped the praise of 
God before. I thank my God there is a common 
ground of union, concerning which there is no 
controversy. What we need to do, and what 
must be done, before the time so anxiously looked 
for, and so earnestly prayed for, will come, is to 
accept and adopt practically what we all, without 
a dissenting voice, admit in theory. 

Pile up the many hundred creeds in the so- 
called Protestant religious world, lay them on the 
precious Bible, and with a ladder, long as Jacob's, 
climb to the topmost one, if you can reach it, and 
upon its first page you will find the sentence writ- 
ten : " We believe the Bible, the Old and New 
Testaments, to be the only infallible rule of faith 
and practice. What is not contained therein, and 
can not be proven thereby, ought not to be re- 
quired of any person as an article of faith." Let 



138 APPENDIX. 

US, then, adopt the creed in which we all agree 
as the only perfect one, and about which there is 
no controversy. 

There is also a name which all are willing to 
wear, and to which none will object. My Bap- 
tist brother might not be willing to accept the one 
so gracefully and easily worn by my Presbyterian 
brother. The Episcopalian would most emphat- 
ically reject the one which the Lutheran would so 
kindly give him. Thus each would feel about 
the name chosen by his sectarian friend and 
brother. Thank the Lord, none feels slandered or 
abused when called a Christian or disciple of the 
lowly Nazarene. Let us, then, accept the name 
given to the bride by the Bridegroom himself, 
and reject every other with disdain as the true 
and loving bride of Christ, who is called the hus- 
band of the Church. Let us strive to call Bible 
things by Bible names. The Church of God or 
Church of Christ are Bible names. 

When we can get rid of party names and party 
creeds, the party spirit will soon die. There is 
not one fact which God has given to be believed 
as essential to salvation about which the religious 
world has any controversy ; not one command of 
God given to be obeyed about which the religious 
world is disagreed. The controversy is about 
something else. Things believed or disbelieved, 
which would neither shut a man out of heaven 
nor let him in, are what (whether true or false, it 
matters little) have been discussed until the spir- 
ituality of the church has well-nigh fled. That 



APPENDIX. 139 

faith in God and in Jesus Christ as his only begot- 
ten Son is needful to be believed none doubt for 
a single moment. Whatever else may be required 
by creeds, this truth alone has power to save the 
soul. That the Spirit does convert by its facts, 
control by its laws and comfort by its promises, 
none will or can deny ; that the Holy Spirit is 
promised to every child of God as an indwelling 
guest, a Comforter to abide w^th him forever, is 
beyond dispute ; that every believing penitent or 
regenerate person ought to be baptized has the 
united testimony of all who acknowledge the di- 
vinity of Christ and the inspiration of the Bible. 
The dispute is whether the children of believing 
parents shall be admitted to the divine ordinance. 
No one denies that believing, penitent, baptized 
persons have a perfect right to the Lord's house 
and table. The question in dispute is whether 
the unbaptized can claim the right. Every pro- 
fessed child of God freely admits the privilege, 
and it is the duty of every one to examine him- 
self. It is only when one claims the right to 
examine others that the spirit of controversy is 
again aroused. 

Once more, and I have done. The whole 
religious world, in one grand army, lifts up 
its voice with one accord, and says that the 
believing, penitent, baptized person, who lives a 
God-fearing, Christ-loving, alms-giving, devout 
and prayerful life, will and must be saved. That 
all such will be gathered with the blood-washed 
throng at last in the peaceful and sinless city of 
our God, where are palms of victory and crowns 



140 APPENDIX. 

of glory, fadeless and bright, even the Universalist 
himself does not dispute or doubt. Thus we find 
the inspired Paul, in his letter to the church at 
Ephesus (chapter iv. 1-6), giving this pathetic 
and impressive exhortation : *' That they walk 
worthy of their high and holy calling, in lowli- 
ness and meekness, with long-suffering, bearing 
with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the 
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." 

" There is one body and one Spirit, one hope 
of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 
one God and Father, who is over all, through all, 
and in all." Here are the seven pillars planted 
by the Head of the Church, strong enough and 
broad enough for the Church of Christ to rest 
upon, and whilst the ages last " the gates of hades 
shall not prevail against it." All who have the 
one faith, the one Lord, and have been baptized 
by the one baptism into the one body- — Christ 
(Gal. iii. 27) — and, because in the one body (Gal. 
iv. 6), have received the one Spirit as a constant 
Comforter and an ever-abiding and indwelling 
guest, are the heirs of God and joint-heirs with 
Christ to an unfading and never- failing patrimony. 

Do not, dear brother, barter such a claim for 
sectarian pottage, however palatable or delicious, 
but stand in the full liberty of the children of 
God and gospel of Christ, " contend earnestly 
for the faith once delivered to the saints," and 
when the Master comes you shall enter with him 
to the " marriage supper of the Lamb," to enjoy 
all God has promised to the faithful. 

[Written at San Francisco, Gal.] 



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7 



